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In 1993, Virginia began to formalize the relationships and organizational structure for its Safety Management System (SMS). Although the SMS is no longer a federal requirement, Virginia decided to continue its implementation. The Focal Point for the SMS is within the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the SMS Steering Committee in Virginia is composed of representatives of VDOT, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia State Police, the Office of Emergency Medical Services of the Virginia Department of Health, and the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. This report outlines options that have the potential to enhance the ability of Virginia's SMS to facilitate traffic safety in the Commonwealth. The report recommends that Virginia's SMS Steering Committee consider the following options: (1) establish an SMS coordinator position, (2) formalize a strategic planning process, (3) use the SMS to vitalize local traffic safety commissions, (4) encourage the use of the holistic corridor approach by community traffic safety programs, (5) provide for more integral involvement of the public health community in Virginia's SMS, (6) determine whether electronic communication would further Virginia's transportation safety goals, and (7) provide for the implementation of improved traffic records.
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 required that states develop systems for managing highway pavement, bridges, safety, congestion, public transportation, and intermodal transportation. This document is Virginia's work plan for establishing and implementing the required safety management system (SMS). Although Virginia already has many of the components necessary for an SMS, an inventory and assessment of Virginia's highway safety-related programs revealed five challenges Virginia needs to meet to build its SMS. These challenges are (1) to coordinate and integrate safety efforts more fully; (2) to provide guidelines for the replacement and upgrade of safety hardware, highway elements, and operational features; (3) to increase the sharing of data and the integration of data systems that support transportation safety; (4) to provide for more rigorous evaluation of transportation safety efforts; and (5) to target injury reduction. A schedule of activities needed to implement Virginia's SMS by October 1, 1996, is included.
This paper describes some suggested revisions in the format of and method and procedures for compiling the Annual Highway Safety Work Program (AHSWP) required of the states by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Prior to fiscal year 1972, the states were required to send little information to the NHTSA (then the National Highway Safety Bureau) regarding activities and expenditures for future highway safety projects. Following the introduction of the Annual Work Program, however, the states were required to submit multi-year and annual plans and projections in a format similar to that of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting Systems (PPBS) models adopted during the 1960s by many federal agencies. It is suggested that problems with the AHSWP, both those caused by the system itself and those resulting from a lack of confidence in it by state program administrators, have impeded effective program management in the states. Revisions-to the AHSWP, which are based upon some of the data elements and information requirements of the Program Information Reporting System, the Design Manual for State Traffic Records Systems, and certain aspects of the management by objectives concepts now embraced by the NHTSA, are felt to be an asset to state highway safety program management. Examples of the new approach are given.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires each state to submit an annual Highway Safety Plan as a prerequisite for obtaining federal section 402 safety monies. The Highway Safety Plan serves as more than a mechanism for obtaining funds; it induces planning, programming, and budgeting of highway safety projects at both the state and local levels. Virginia's highway safety planning process has evolved over the past 10 years to become an organized, efficient system which applies the "Problem Identification/Management by Objectives" concept to the requirements of the Highway Safety Plan. Towards strengthening this process, the master file project was initiated in 1976 to supply timely data to the state agencies and local transportation safety commissions for use in their problem identification, countermeasure development, and program evaluation activities. Since that time, the activities involved in preparing the Highway Safety Plan have been refined and streamlined to effect a more efficient system of retrieving, assimilating, and disseminating the highway safety program data. This report outlines the recent progress of the master file project, and describes advancements towards automating the information that have been achieved in the state agencies in conjunction with the Highway Safety Plan.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires each state to file an Annual Highway Safety Work Program as a prerequisite for obtaining federal section 402 safety monies. However, the work program serves as more than a mechanism for obtaining funds; it induces planning, programming, and budgeting of highway safety projects. The Commonwealth of Virginia has endorsed the work program concept and is continually striving to improve its highway safety planning process. The most recent improvement in Virginia's highway safety planning process was embodied in a report by Ferguson and Simpson that introduced the concept of "Problem Identification/Management by Objectives" to the state's work program. Local highway safety commissions and state traffic safety agencies were asked to complete their annual work program submissions using this concept, the intent being to enhance the quality of their planned highway safety activities. This report attempts to further implement the concept by offering refinements to the Ferguson-Simpson approach. Under these refinements, the local commissions and state agencies are not asked to generate much of the problem identification data; the necessary information is provided them. These data should aid the local commissions and state agencies in identifying problem areas needing attention. This approach was well received when first used in preparing Virginia's FY '77 Annual Highway Safety Work Program. However, the methods of compiling and disseminating information proved quite laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, this report recommends further revisions be made to the process by automating various parts of the retrieval, assimilation, and dissemination stages.