Low-Cost Safety Improvements: Systemic Approach for Stop-Controlled Inte...

Hands on Wheel, Eyes on Road

The Most Preventable Way to Lose a Friend

My friend Lee was driving home from church on a Sunday in October. She’d stopped to pick up lunch and was heading back home – probably to spend the day with her first grandchild, a baby boy. An oncoming car drifted into Lee’s lane. She swerved to avoid a head-on collision. Her black SUV rolled over.

Lee died from the traumatic injuries she suffered in the crash. Her two daughters were left without a mother. Her family, friends, co-workers and community were devastated. Her grandson will only remember her from photos.

Read the full story here.

Survey Finds State DOTs Hiring Next-Gen Workforce To Run Drone Operations

PARK CITY, UTAH – A May 2019 survey by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials highlights the rapid deployment of new Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or drone technologies by state DOTs, as well as the growing demand for a highly trained workforce required to manage them.

More than seven out of 10 state departments of transportation have hired hundreds of staff, including highly-skilled personnel to manage drone operations. Those state DOTs, 36 in total, also reported having 279 Federal Aviation Administration certified drone pilots on staff or approximately eight pilots per state.

“The survey is just one example of how state DOTs are investing in the next-generation workforce,” said Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah DOT and AASHTO’s 2018-2019 president. “Five years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find any state DOT looking to hire a drone pilot or set up a UAS program—but now we’re doing both of those things in a big way.”

Read the rest of the report here.

Motorcycle Safety Is A Two-Way Street

When spring is in the air, motorcycles are everywhere. Do you long for the freedom that comes with riding on the open road? Then it's critical to respect your machine and improve your skills throughout your lifetime.

But that's only half the story. Motorists interested only in four-wheeled vehicles still have a major responsibility in keeping motorcyclists safe on the road.

In recognition of National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May, the National Safety Council reminds riders – and drivers – to do their part.

Check out the full story here!

Rural Area Vehicle Detection

Marketing Safety: How to Tell Your Story and Move People to Action

Take a moment to check out a great Webinar from the National Center for Rural Road Safety produced with that National LTAP and TTAP Associations. It has been archived and can be viewed here.

It provided practical techniques for effective communication with stakeholders, leadership, and the public. 

Webinar OutcomesAt the conclusion of this webinar, participants were able to:

• Explain five techniques for better communication and marketing
• Write an engaging “teaser” to describe their job/position
• Use a communications brief to plan outreach activities

Target Audience

This training was directed towards a very broad safety audience including, but not limited to, law enforcement, planners, engineers, first responders, elected officials, public health, tourism agencies, and safety culture experts. Participants should have some basic familiarity with transportation safety.

Course Presenters

Kevin Elliott, Senior Communication Specialist, ARA
Kevin Elliott is a Senior Marketing Specialist at Applied Research Associates, Inc. He manages creative outreach projects for clients including the Federal Highway Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation, the U.S. Air Force, and the National Institute for Standards and Technology, among others. He is also an adjunct communication professor at Florida State University Panama City.