Speed Management Program Plan

NHTSA · 2014 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This document outlines the United States Department of Transportation’s (DOT) 2014 Speed Management Program Plan, an update to the 2005 Speed Management Strategic Initiative. Developed jointly by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the plan addresses speeding as a persistent contributor to highway crashes, which account for approximately 32% of fatal crashes annually. The primary motivation is the stagnation in reducing speeding-related fatalities despite progress in other traffic safety areas, such as impaired driving and occupant protection. The plan aims to improve public health and safety by reducing speeding-related fatalities and injuries through a comprehensive cultural shift regarding the acceptability of speeding. The plan employs a multi-disciplinary approach centered on six focus areas: Data and Data-Driven Approaches, Research and Evaluation, Technology, Enforcement and Adjudication, Engineering, and Education and Communications. It emphasizes that effective speed management requires balancing safety with mobility, noting that while state and local governments are principally responsible for speed regulation, the federal role involves providing research, guidance, and resources. Key strategies include standardizing data collection to identify crash corridors, conducting research on the relationship between travel speed and crash risk, and evaluating human factors related to speeding behavior. The plan also prioritizes the integration of technology, such as automated speed enforcement systems and variable speed limits, alongside engineering measures like self-enforcing road designs and appropriate speed limit setting. Although the document is a strategic plan rather than an empirical study with specific experimental results, it identifies critical findings and priorities based on existing data and literature. It notes that 87% of speeding-related fatalities occurred on non-interstate roads in 2011, with the highest fatality rates per vehicle mile traveled on local and collector roads. The plan highlights that speeding is a pervasive behavior, with surveys indicating that three-quarters of drivers exceed speed limits. It identifies specific priority areas for immediate attention, including the need for uniform and accurate speed data, research into the effects of travel speed on crash risk, engineering measures to manage speed on curves, and improved education and communication strategies. The plan also calls for the evaluation of countermeasures, such as traffic-calming techniques and intelligent transportation systems, to determine their effectiveness in reducing crash risk. The significance of this plan lies in its comprehensive framework for addressing speeding as a complex, multi-faceted issue requiring coordinated federal, state, and local efforts. By promoting a shift in public culture and enhancing the use of data-driven enforcement, engineering, and technology, the DOT aims to reduce the societal costs of speeding, which exceed $40 billion annually. The plan underscores the importance of accountability and continuous improvement, encouraging the adoption of proven countermeasures and innovative strategies. It serves as a roadmap for stakeholders to implement balanced speed management programs, ultimately aiming to create a safer transportation system for all road users, including motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Key finding

The document outlines a strategic framework for reducing speeding-related crashes through coordinated federal guidance across six focus areas, rather than reporting empirical research results.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• speed management
• traffic safety culture
• speed choice
• automated enforcement cameras
• perceptual countermeasures
• public messaging

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes