DOT 27-08
Friday, February 29, 2008
Contact: Ian Grossman
Tel.: (202) 366-0660
U.S. Transportation Secretary Peters Announces New Strategy to Improve Safety on
Rural Roads
WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters today announced a new
national strategy that will bring new focus, including resources and new
technology, to reducing deaths on the nation’s rural roads.
“We want to put the brakes on rural road fatalities,” said Secretary Peters.
“This is a challenge that we have the experience, the ability and the resources
to address. We can make our rural roads safer, we can do it now and we can do it
without reinventing the wheel.”
The Department’s Rural Safety Initiative will help states and communities
develop ways to eliminate the risks drivers face on America’s rural roads and
highlight available solutions and resources. The new endeavor addresses five key
goals: safer drivers, better roads, smarter roads, better-trained emergency
responders, and improved outreach and partnerships. The Secretary said
approximately $287 million in existing and new funding is available to support
the effort.
Secretary Peters said she has asked the Department’s Deputy Secretary, Admiral
Thomas Barrett, to personally lead the comprehensive effort to help state and
local leaders get solutions implemented in rural areas faster.
“Smarter, low-cost options are readily available and can be deployed quickly. By
partnering with state and local leaders to integrate these safety strategies, we
can change the trend and improve safety on our nation’s rural roads,” Barrett
said.
Secretary Peters said that of the over 3 million miles of rural roads in the
country, almost 80 percent are owned and operated by local entities, which is
why partnering with states and local governments is critical to the initiative.
She indicated that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) has already offered their support.
“State transportation officials have set a goal of reducing highway fatalities
by half over the next two decades. Improving rural highway safety is critical to
saving those lives. We are pleased that the U.S. DOT is focusing both attention
and resources on this issue and we commend them for this initiative,” said Pete
Rahn, AASHTO President.
For more information, please visit
www.dot.gov/affairs/ruralsafety/.