Issue link: http://uwashington.uberflip.com/i/600834
16 Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium • Project: Safety Data Management and Analysis: Addressing the Continuing Education Needs for the Pacific Northwest • PI: Kevin Chang (UI), kchang@uidaho.edu • Co-Investigators: Cynthia Chen (UW), Robert Perkins (UAF), Ali Hajbabaie (WSU), Shane Brown (OSU) Safety data collection, management, integration, improvement, and analysis activities are integral to developing a robust data program that leads to more Informed Decision making, better targeted safety investments, and overall improved safety outcomes. Safety data includes crash, roadway, traffic, licensing, and vehicle data. With the increased complexity of the safety data management and analysis activities, and with the limited resources most transportation agencies have, there is a critical need to provide the transportation workforce in the Pacific Northwest with the resources needed to effectively manage and analyze safety data. The objectives of this multi-institution project are to: 1) develop a comprehensive understanding of needs and priorities with regard to safety data management and analysis, 2) develop a set of core skills and knowledge required for safety data management and analysis, 3) provide a comprehensive set of safety data workforce development resources that can easily be accessed for use and distribution, and 4) identify and utilize proven delivery pipelines to supplement program outreach efforts and activities in the safety data area. • Project: Mitigation of Lane Departure Crashes in the Pacific Northwest through Coordinated Outreach • PI: David Hurwitz (OSU), david.hurwitz@oregonstate.edu • Co-PI: Linda Boyle (UW), Leila Hajibabai (WSU), Billy Connor (UAF), Ahmed Abdel-Rahim (UI) Approximately 60 percent of fatalities on our nation's roadways are the result of lane departure crashes. In some cases, the vehicle crossed the centerline and was involved in a head-on crash or opposite direction sideswipe. In others, the vehicle left the roadway to roll over or impact one or more natural or man-made objects, such as trees, utility poles, bridge walls, embankments, or guardrails. A variety of transportation engineering solutions have been proposed to mitigate the occurrence of lane departure crashes including but not limited to: the safety edge, nighttime visibility, rumble strips, retroreflectivity, and pavement lane markings. While these strategies have shown varying degrees of promise in particular contexts, they do no immediately address all of the causal factors inherent in road users (motor vehicle and all-terrain vehicle operators) such as fatigue, operating under the influence, distraction driving, etc. There is a critical need to raise the awareness of the traveling public in the Pacific Northwest about the risks regarding lane departure crashes and how behaviors can mitigate their occurrence. The economic impact of these crashes needs attention so as to help prioritize alternative investments in such transportation engineering solutions. Essentially, users need to understand the benefits and costs of alternative programs. 2014-15 RESEARCH PROJECTS