Traffic Safety

What's New

Cross-Jurisdictional Traffic Signal Coordination Partnership Benefits
Partner with neighboring agencies, either formally or informally, to address institutional challenges and benefit from cross-jurisdictional traffic signal coordination. Click here for more information on this Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Lessons Learned feature.

Road Safety Audit Brochure Released
The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Office of Safety has released a Road Safety Audit (RSA) Brochure. A road safety audit (RSA) is a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. Just as crime scene investigators focus their attention on the various aspects of a specific locale, RSA teams study a section of road or an intersection from a variety of perspectives. Essentially, the goal is the same: to uncover the root causes of a situation and then suggest actions. Additional information on RSAs is available here.

Guide for Law Enforcement Personnel in Work Zones
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has developed the National Highway Work Zone Safety Program (NHWZSP) to reduce the fatalities and injurious crashes in work zones, and to enhance traffic operation and safety within work zones. As part of this program, the FHWA's Office of Safety has released a Work Zone Training Law Enforcement Course Guide to aid in the safe and effective use of law enforcement personnel in work zones. Additional information and materials is available here.

Radar/Lidar Testing

The IACP has two testing laboratories available to its members for testing of new and used radar and lidar units. When was the last time you checked your units for accuracy? Additional information and resources on Radar/Lidar certification testing procedures, conforming products list and technical specifications are available here.

Speed Management Programs

Find information on other programs relating to speed and automated traffic enforcement programs.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Speed Management Resources
Speeding is a complex issue involving engineering, driving behavior, education and enforcement. A multidisciplinary, comprehensive approach to speed management is required to significantly impact speed-related crashes. Additional information and resources regarding this subject are available here.

National Conference of State Legislatures
This report provides an overview of camera enforcement technology and use. Actions at the federal and state level are discussed as well as the experiences some states have had with this technology.

Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department Automated Speed Enforcement Program
Learn about how its Photo Radar Speeding Reduction Program has dramatically reduced speeding in the enforcement zones where photo radar is operating

Arizona
The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) is planning to use automated equipment to enforce speed limits and catch red-light runners on state highways in the first program of its kind in the country. The two-phase program would start with cameras in construction zones and at traffic signals on some highways. Cameras would then be placed at selected locations on Phoenix-area freeways. DPS plans to request proposals for camera-equipped vans to deploy behind barriers at construction zones to enforce speed limits and for cameras to be installed at highway intersections with speed limits of up to 45 miles per hour.