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Practical tools for improving transportation safety are needed worldwide. It has been estimated that motor vehicle–related crashes account for more than 1 million fatalities each year, and the number of serious injuries far exceeds fatalities. Local and low-volume roads are significantly overrepresented in crash statistics. Globally, the road safety audit (RSA) concept has been recognized as an effective tool in identifying and reducing the crash potential of roadways when used to analyze the safety aspects of project plans and designs before completion. In the local rural road arena, many safety issues are associated with existing roadway networks. Many of these networks have developed over time with little or no planning or design. There is a critical need for a practical tool that focuses on the safety of the existing as-built local road network. The RSA review (RSAR) process has been developed for this purpose, giving specific recognition to the functionality of the road being evaluated for safety issues. Significant numbers of safety improvements are needed, and practical approaches to address these needs are crucial. The RSAR tool has the potential to be particularly beneficial to local governments in systematically addressing safety deficiencies on existing rural road networks. In addition, it is a proactive safety tool that has the potential to protect agencies from tort liability since it establishes a record of the organization’s safety agenda. An RSAR methodology that can be adapted by local agencies is presented. A case study illustrating the application of this process is included. Also highlighted is a local rural training program that has been presented in several states for county applications. The focus is on U.S. county applications, but it is recognized that the process has utility for other agencies and has application in other countries. The necessity for training as a key component in the development of a sustainable safety program is emphasized.

A prototype safety improvement program (SIP) developed specifically for unpaved roads is presented. The combination of high mileage, low traffic volume, and limited budgets makes it difficult for local agencies to adopt traditional SIPs. The presented SIP for unpaved roads is economically and procedurally appropriate for local road agencies. It provides a systematic means of prioritizing road sections for safety analysis and identifying safety improvement needs. One of the many unique features of the program is its “partnering” approach of involving public road users in the safety improvement process. Results of case studies that validate the procedure are included.

The need of local road managers to have a readily accessible reference guide for identifying deficiencies and improving safety on low-volume roads has prompted the development of a field guide for unpaved rural roads. Technical resources are available to evaluate the various aspects of a low-volume road. However, the resources are in numerous publications and not in a single, easy-to-use document. The concept of the field guide is to provide a single reference to assist rural road managers in making on-site evaluations of specific roadway deficiencies. Critical safety issues and unpaved rural road responsibilities vary throughout the United States. A national focus group was used to recognize this variability. A modified Delphi survey procedure was used to facilitate focus group input and review the project. The Wyoming Technology Transfer Center, in cooperation with the FHWA Local Technical Assistance Program, was responsible for development of the guide. Reviewed are the steps and considerations taken in the development of the guide. Developmental techniques, such as input from a national focus group of transportation professionals, were used to successfully complete this project. The methodologies used to develop this guide are applicable and potentially useful for completing other transportation projects worldwide.

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A significant increase in the safety of transportation networks in the United States and throughout the world will require the direct involvement of local jurisdictions (e.g., counties, townships, villages, and cities). In 1998, approximately 4 out of 10 fatalities in the United States occurred on collector and local roadways. Local road agencies need to have the skills to identify, evaluate, and mitigate safety concerns. Effective local road safety training, technology transfer, and resources are essential. A number of challenges need to be met to complete these tasks, but current local road safety training and technology transfer programs and strategies also offer opportunities. Some of these challenges are identified and discussed, and several current and potential programs and strategies for local road safety training and technology transfer are described. Relevant results from a recent FHWA and AASHTO international scan tour on the management and organization of comprehensive highway safety programs are also presented and used to support the suggestions provided. A synopsis of the relevant discussions from a recent workshop on highway safety workforce development, sponsored by FHWA, AASHTO, TRB, and ITE, is also offered. The objective is to initiate discussion about the need for and development of a comprehensive and cost-effective local safety training and technology transfer program.

With limited resources and increasing exposure to tort liability, local rural road agencies face the dilemma of how to maximize improvements to their road system. For unpaved rural roads the problem is particularly acute. Many of these unpaved rural roads worldwide have geometric deficiencies that do not conform with recognized standards and guidelines. In many instances, roadway improvements are not being completed because of the inability to fund improvements to meet these standards and guidelines. Incremental improvements for unpaved rural roads is potentially an important tool for local agencies. The goal is at least to meet minimum guidelines and standards by continuing to implement an incremental program. Reported here are the results of a project that used a national U.S. focus group to provide input into the acceptability of the concept and use of incremental safety improvements on unpaved rural roads. The investigation targeted horizontal curvature as a site deficiency. The focus group was used to identify if and what incremental improvements should be considered. The results demonstrated the need for functional subclassifications of rural unpaved roads, with incremental decisions made that address the unique operational differences. Incremental improvements, when properly considered, are recommended as an acceptable method to increase safety on unpaved rural roads and to minimize liability.