Proven Safety Countermeasures

Improving safety is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Transportation, and FHWA remains committed to reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries on our Nation's highways. We are highly confident that certain processes, infrastructure design techniques, and highway features are effective and their use should be encouraged.

2012 "Guidance Memorandum on Promoting the Implementation of Proven Safety Countermeasures" (HTML, PDF 78 KB)

In January 2012, FHWA issued a “Guidance Memorandum on Promoting the Implementation of Proven Safety Countermeasures”. This guidance takes into consideration the latest safety research to advance a group of countermeasures that have shown great effectiveness in improving safety. Safety practitioners are encouraged to consider this set of countermeasures that are research-proven, but not widely applied on a national basis.

Click on one of the nine countermeasures below for more information and a downloadable fact sheet. Each fact sheet provides more detailed descriptions, related research studies, and evaluations of each of these countermeasures. Further information on each countermeasure can also be found at the Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse (http://www.cmfclearinghouse.org/).

Roundabouts

Corridor Access Management

Backplates with Retroreflective Borders

Longitudinal Rumble Strips and Stripes on Two-Lane Roads

Enhanced Delineation and Friction for Horizontal Curves

Safety EdgeSM

Medians and Pedestrian Crossing Islands in Urban and Suburban Areas

Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon

Road Diet

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