Transportation Safety

Safety is a key measure of the quality of the region's transportation system. Guided by the federal transportation goals and requirements, local plans, policies and guidelines and its Safety Transportation Working Group (SAWG), NYMTC promotes a safe and secure transportation system as an integral part of its transportation planning process.


Safety Planning

NYMTC evaluates data and trends as it develops engineering and planning initiatives and focused priority areas and strategies. Key to NYMTC's efforts is integrating safety into all levels of planning activities.

Plan 2040 Safety Element

long-range safety goal and desired outcomes contained in Plan 2040 guide NYMTC's safety planning activities, Plan 2040 establishes a new goal for the NYMTC planning area: to enhance the safety and security of the transportation system for both motorized and non-motorized users.

The following outcomes have been identified to meet this goal:

  • Reduced rate of annual injuries and fatalities on the region’s transportation systems;
  • Promulgation of advanced safety and security measures throughout the region;
  • Enhanced coordination, data, and information sharing among members and other stakeholders; and
  • Promotion of safety and security improvements in all aspects of transportation planning and implementation.

Safety Element of Plan 2040


Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian safety is a particular focus of the NYMTC safety planning process.

Pedestrian Safety Workshop Modules
Over recent years, NYMTC has hosted Designing Pedestrian Safe Streets Workshops for professionals who have an impact on the pedestrian system: Traffic Engineers, Designers, Maintenance Personnel, Planners, and Law Enforcement Officers. These workshops are coordinated and funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Resource Center workshop includes one and a half days of instruction followed by field trips. The workshop concludes interactive discussion of design and policy changes among the participants.

Course modules can be viewed through the links below.

Agenda
Introduction
Walking Along the Road
Crossing Principles
Crossing Counter measures
Intersection Geometry
Signalized Intersections
Interchanges
Roundabouts
Transit
Road Diets

Regional Pedestrian Safety Study
This study was published in 2007 to identify pedestrian safety issues and recommends measures to improve safety in the NYMTC planning area.

NYMTC Regional Pedestrian Safety Study


Performance Measurement

Current federal transportation legislation includes a requirement for Performance Based Planning and Programming. Rules and performance measures are under development for the safety aspects of these requirements.

ANPRM Transit Safety
Highway Safety Improvement Program briefing sheet
NPRM HSIP Part 924
NPRM Safety Performance Measures
Safety Performance NPRM Fact Sheet


Other Relevant Safety Plans

NYS Strategic Highway Safety Plan
NYS Highway Safety Strategic Plan
NYC Pedestrian Safety Study and Action Plan
NYC Vision Zero Action Plan


Other Safety Materials

Additional safety-related materials:

Crash Data
NYMTC Crash Data at a Glance-2012

Links
NYSDMV Crash Data Reports (ITSMR)
http://www.safeny.ny.gov/hsdata.htm
Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse
http://www.cmfclearinghouse.org/

Reports & Fact Sheets
Addressing Safety on Locally Owned and Maintained Roads
Dangerous by Design
Drug Involvement in Fatal and Personal Injury Crashes on New York Roadways
NCHRP Synthesis 436 Local Policies and Practices
NHTSA Traffic Safety for Older People
NYSAMPO Fact Sheet: Complete Streets
NYSAMPO Fact Sheet: Timing Traffic Signals to Accommodate Pedestrians
Older Driver License Renewal
Redlight Article 2010
Redlight News 2011


Links to Other Safety Websites

NHTSA’s Safety Homepage
https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety

FHWA Safety Homepage
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/

FTA Safety Homepage
http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/
http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/index.php

NYCDOT Safety Webpages
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/home/home.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/pedsafetyreport.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/safety-education.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/safeseniors.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/biketips.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/slowzones.shtml