What is Safety Conscious Planning?
Safety Conscious Planning (SCP) is a comprehensive, system-wide, multimodal, proactive process that better integrates safety into surface transportation decision-making.
It is comprehensive because it considers all aspects of transportation safety - engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency medical response.
It is system-wide because it considers corridors and entire transportation networks at the local, regional and state levels as well as specific sites.
It is multimodal because it includes transit, bicycle, and pedestrian safety improvements.
It is proactive because it addresses current safety problems and prevents future hazards and problem behaviors.
Why is it needed?
Federal law requires State and Metropolitan planners to consider projects and strategies to increase the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users.
Highway fatalities continue to climb. They are the highest since 1990 with an estimated 42,643 fatalities in 2003. Estimated societal costs are $230.6 billion per year or $829 per person.
To reverse this trend, we need more resources to implement high pay-off safety strategies that will save the most lives. The planning process can play a key role in providing resources to address State and community highway safety needs.
Who Are the Key Players in SCP?
State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) play the leading roles but partners in the safety, planning and transportation communities are critical to success. The list below provides examples of the types of organizations that have supported or participated in SCP activities. You may discover other partners in your state or community to help you make SCP a reality.
- DOTs
- MPOs
- Transit Agencies
- Highway Safety Community - Governors' Highway Safety Representatives, Operation Lifesaver, AAA etc.
- State Agencies responsible for:
- safety data collection & management
- law enforcement
- motor vehicle departments
- Federal Agencies - FHWA, NHTSA, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Local Transportation Agencies
- Emergency Medical Responders
- Local Law Enforcement
- Trade Associations - Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, National Association of Regional Councils, AASHTO, American Public Transit Association, Institute of Transportation Engineers
To find more about SCP, visit the office of Environment and Planning SCP website, www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/SCP. It includes detailed information about ongoing activities, the new SCP training course, forums, good practices, peer contacts and tools to assist in safety conscious planning.
Contact Kathy Krause at kathy.krause@fhwa.dot.gov
