States Praise New World Health Organization Report; Calls for Broader Highway Safety Planning, Better Funding, More Research 4/13/2004
From: Jonathan Adkins of the Governors Highway Safety Association, 202-789-0942 WASHINGTON, April 13 -- Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the World Bank, issued a new report providing a comprehensive overview of what is known about the causes of traffic crashes and how to best prevent them. Kathryn Swanson, chair of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the organization that represents state highway safety agencies, issued the following statement: "The WHO report provides an excellent roadmap for reducing traffic fatalities both nationally and internationally. While in the United States, we are doing much of what is recommended, there is still more that states and the federal government can do. GHSA is very pleased with the report's assertion that traffic safety must be addressed with a "systems approach," to include a focus on the driver/road user, the roadway environment, the vehicle, and that integrates other areas of transportation into the safety solution. The report stresses the scope of effort should include reducing the motorists exposure to risk, preventing an actual crash from occurring, reducing the severity of injury in the event of a crash, and ensuring that post-crash systems are in place to reduce the chance of serious injury or death." Swanson indicated that in the United States this type of comprehensive approach has been developed in the form of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Strategic Highway Safety Plan. A broad group of stakeholders including AASHTO, GHSA, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration and others developed a comprehensive approach to reducing fatalities similar to the method advocated in the WHO report. The WHO effort is also receiving praise from AASHTO. "America's state transportation departments support this international approach to traffic safety," said John Horsley, Executive Director of AASHTO. "Many nations share both the tragically high car-crash fatality rates the U.S. has, and the resolve to lower them. As an authority in setting international standards for safe construction of roads and bridges, we at AASHTO are working closely with experts from many nations and related industries on traffic-safety issues." Horsley continues, "We are especially proud of the strong support our member states are giving the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan. No less than thirty transportation departments are engaged in lead-state initiatives and more are due on board shortly as the plan guidance is generated." Swanson and Horsley indicated that GHSA and AASHTO will continue to be heavily involved in the implementation of the plan and they urge states and the federal government to give this effort the attention and funding it merits. Swanson of GHSA said there are numerous general conclusions in the WHO report that her Association strongly endorses. These include: -- Assess the Problem --- The WHO recommends that an important element in road safety is assessing the magnitude and scope of the problem. GHSA strongly concurs that good data is a key to designing effective highway safety countermeasures. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on development of national injury databases and on providing assistance to states to improve the accuracy and thoroughness of fatality and injury data. -- Adequately allocate the financial resources to address the problem ---According to the WHO, very little money is invested in preventing road crashes and injuries from occurring in the first place, despite the fact that actions to prevent crashes and injuries are well known, cost-effective and supported by the public. GHSA urges Congress to fund federally funded highway safety programs at the Senate-approved level as they complete the reauthorization of the surface transportation programs. -- Conduct thorough research --- The WHO recommends conducting trials to test known interventions and determine whether they are appropriate. GHSA strongly concurs and is very concerned that NHTSA's research budget will not be increased and will also be burdened with earmarks in the pending reauthorization. If states are to implement proven, effective countermeasures, then a much stronger federally funded research program must be undertaken. The WHO also advocates implementing specific strategies supported by GHSA including... -- Implement and publicize speed cameras/radar, which increase compliance with speed limit laws --- GHSA is very concerned about the role excessive speeding plays in highway safety deaths and urges the federal government to promote methods such as automated enforcement to reduce this growing problem. States should consider implementing speed cameras/radar as an enforcement tool. -- Set ambitious, long-term traffic safety goals as they are more effective than modest, short term goals --- The Association agrees and has been pleased to work with the Department of Transportation, AASHTO and others on the U.S.'s national goal in reducing the fatality rate to 1.0 fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles traveled by 2008 (the current rate is 1.53). In fact, GHSA's upcoming Annual Meeting will focus on how to best achieve this aggressive goal. --- To review a summary of the WHO report, visit http://www.who.org. For more information about the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan, visit http://www.transportation.safety.org |