The Road Safety Champion Program (RSCP) is a nationally-recognized “Roadway Safety 101” training series. It is made for staff in transportation, public health, and first responder agencies who have an interest in roadway safety but are not safety experts.
The RSCP includes seven core modules plus career-focused pathways. Once participants complete the seven core modules and one pathway, they are awarded a Road Safety Champion Program Certificate!
(Note: courses can be taken in any order and the certificate is not a degree or professional certification.)
Take All Seven Core Modules* + Choose One of the Four Pathways* = Your Road Safety Champion Certificate!
Are you interested in registering for an upcoming Road Safety Champion Program module?
Option 1:
Take it with us!
Option 2:
Take it with an LTAP!
Are you a Local or Tribal Technical Assistance Program Center (LTAP/TTAP) trainer or a not-for-profit organization providing professional development and want to administer all or part of the RSCP? Training materials are available.
For questions or any additional information about the Road Safety Champion Program, email the Rural Road Safety Center at info@safetycenter.org.
Introduction to Road Safety
Get an overview of safety trends and a national understanding of roadway safety. Also, discuss techniques for safety collaboration, the importance of prioritizing safety over other considerations, and how an individual can become a Road Safety Champion.
Understanding Human Factors
This course will equip human factors “non”-experts to better consider the capabilities and limitation of road users and incorporate them into policies and practices. Knowing how road users interact with their vehicle, the roadway, and other road users can also provide useful insights for decision making for construction and maintenance personnel, planners, engineers, public health professionals, and law enforcement.
Introduction to Traffic Safety Culture
Learn why growing positive traffic safety culture can significantly improve road safety in your community and nationwide. Participants will leave the training better understanding the elements that shape traffic safety culture, how those factors interact to affect human behaviors, strategies that can be implemented to improve traffic safety culture among various groups, and ideas about how participants can use their role (and the role of others) in growing a positive traffic safety culture.
Overview of the MUTCD
This module is an introduction and overview of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The MUTCD defines the standards by which traffic signs, road surface markings, and signals are designed, installed, and used on all public streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public traffic. This module will explain the need for uniformity of traffic control devices and traffic signals across locations.
Intersection of Transportation with Public Health and Law Enforcement
This training will discuss the need for transportation, public health, and law enforcement agencies to work together on the road to zero and to see transportation safety from each other’s perspective. Learn the similarities and differences in their respective planning processes, discipline-specific strategies used for improving road safety, and collaborative approaches.
Reading the Roadway
Learn how to “read the road” as well as the importance of incorporating it in daily activities. The training will include real-world examples so participants can discover potential safety issues during their routine activities. It will also discuss how the road safety audit process can be used to read the road through a more formal approach.
Safety Analysis Process
This training is an overview of the safety analysis process and will discuss how it can be applied using two different but complementary methods: traditional site analysis and systemic analysis. This module will help practitioners identify the factors that contribute to crashes and some of the countermeasures used to reduce them. Case studies will be presented to demonstrate practical applications of safety analysis.
Maintaining a Safer Roadway
Learn safety solutions that maintenance crews can implement in their regular work. The course includes a hands-on case study to equip crews to identify needs for shoulder drop-offs, right-of-way obstructions, striping and signing, guardrails, mowing, sweeping, patching, drainage, winter maintenance, and others.
Work Zones
Gain an overview of roadway work zones in rural areas and the minimum standards for various types of work zones covered in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Worker Safety
Gain an overview of potential hazards for workers and explore preventive measures for improving worker safety. Participants will learn the hierarchy of safety controls for the workplace and specific examples from roadway construction.
Traffic Incident Management*
For this requirement, please submit a certificate of completion to the National Center for Rural Road Safety through email at info@ruralsafetycenter.org. Some options for taking this course include:
Take Action Now – Maintaining Safety
This course is a deep look at maintenance safety solutions that construction and maintenance personnel can implement daily. It will focus on safety topics using three FHWA documents: Vegetation Control for Safety, A Guide for Local Highway and Street Maintenance Personnel, Maintenance of Drainage Features for Safety, A Guide for Local Street and Highway Maintenance Personnel and Maintenance of Signs and Sign Supports: A Guide for Local Roads Maintenance Personnel as the basis.
OSHA 10*
For this requirement, please submit a certificate of completion to the National Center for Rural Road Safety through email at info@ruralsafetycenter.org. Some options for taking this course include your state Department of Transportation or your Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP). To find your LTAP, click here.
Flagger Certification*
For this requirement, please submit a certificate of completion to the National Center for Rural Road Safety through email at info@ruralsafetycenter.org. Some options for taking this course include your state Department of Transportation or your Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP). To find your LTAP, click here.
*This course is not offered by the Center. Students must complete through other programs.
Countermeasures for Road Safety
Road safety countermeasures save lives. These countermeasures can include infrastructure, behavioral, or programmatic and policy implementations. This training will provide an overview of safety countermeasures applicable to local roads with an emphasis on low-cost practices. Discussions include Crash Modification Factors (CMFs), systemic safety analysis, and factors for evaluating and selecting countermeasures.
Work Zones
Gain an overview of roadway work zones in rural areas and the minimum standards for various types of work zones covered in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Overview of Local Road Safety Plans
Local Road Safety Plans (LRSPs) are proven to save lives on rural roads. They offer a foundation for consensus and focus that helps communities take proactive steps to reduce and prevent severe crashes in their communities. This training will provide an overview of an LRSP, including how they support safety efforts, the steps to develop an LRSP, and the strategies for implementing an LRSP in rural communities.
Overview of Data and Tools for Safety
Data-driven approaches to traffic safety let agencies make more informed decisions and invest their limited funds more effectively. In this training, learn about the different types of data, data challenges for local agencies, and the various tools available for applying the data you have for screening your network. Discussions include the Highway Safety Manual, usRAP, Road Safety Audits, Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool, and Crash Tree Maker.
Crash Reporting
Learn the role of crash data collection and reporting in reducing severe crashes and how such reporting benefits from cross-coordination among law enforcement, engineers, planners, and public health professionals. This training also reviews challenges with crash and injury surveillance, some nuances of crash data collection and reporting, and ways crash and injury data can be used to inform the design of safety interventions.
Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool
Take a deep dive into the Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool. The tool is a process for identifying the factors that can contribute to crashes and implementing effective countermeasures. The training will also cover the seven steps of the safety analysis process and discuss how it can be applied using both the traditional site safety analysis method and the systemic analysis method.
Integrating Public Health and Transportation to Enhance Road User Safety
Explore the relationship between public health and transportation through a public health-rooted approach to transportation safety. Participants will learn key terms and principles of public health practices as well as opportunities to integrate public health approaches and considerations into transportation safety work.
Public Health Data to Inform Injury Analysis and Monitoring
Learn how public health data can enhance the diagnosis, prediction, and monitoring of traffic injuries. This will include learning about public health system injury, social determinants of health, and behavioral data sources in communities; evidence on how public health data facilitates a more holistic understanding of the contributors, extent, and nature of traffic injury in communities; and how participants might integrate public health data into their injury prediction, diagnosis, and monitoring programs.
Intersections between Traffic Safety and Health Culture
In this module, participants will learn how health culture can enhance local and organizational traffic safety culture. This will include key elements and constructs of traffic safety culture and a culture of health, data considerations and measures indicating positive traffic safety cultures, ways to foster positive traffic safety culture and a culture of health in rural communities, and examples of culture of health and traffic safety culture partnerships in the U.S.
Partnerships for Safety Program Implementation
This training provides information on how best-practice public health models implemented with partners can improve the reach and effectiveness of traffic safety programming. This includes key distinctions between traditional deterrence-oriented programs and public health-informed safety programs and strategies for how to connect with public health partners.
Pursuing Transportation and Positive Health Outcomes for Everyone
In this module, learn how the pursuit of transportation access and safety is foundational to creating conditions where all people have the opportunity to thrive, and to learn best practices in improving transportation access and population health.
Public Health Approaches to Population-Level Behavior Change
An overview of how public health approaches can be drawn upon to design and implement programs to change behaviors among populations. This will include key distinctions between individual and population-level behavior change models, the role public health policy and built environment changes can enhance traffic safety; and example applications of public health behavior change models to traffic safety in the U.S.
Crash Reporting
Learn the role of crash data collection and reporting in reducing severe crashes and how such reporting benefits from cross-coordination among law enforcement, engineers, planners, and public health professionals. This training also reviews challenges with crash and injury surveillance, some nuances of crash data collection and reporting, and ways crash and injury data can be used to inform the design of safety interventions.
MUTCD for First Responders
Learn how first responders can use and interpret the principles in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for traffic incidents, emergencies, and disasters. This module includes understanding the duties of first responders and using tools such as emergency vehicle lighting, changeable message signs (CMS), and emergency management signing.
Safety of Responders on Roads
A supplement to the National Traffic Incident Management Responder training, this module provides a deeper understanding of tools, recommendations, and materials available for first responders to ensure their safety while working on the side of the road.
Traffic Incident Management
For this requirement, please submit a certificate of completion to the National Center for Rural Road Safety through email at info@ruralsafetycenter.org. Some options for taking this course include:
Road Safety Audits
Gain a deeper understanding of road safety audits, including the role of a first responder, and how a first responder can contribute to the audit and in implementing findings.
Evaluation of the Legal Landscape Impacting First Responders
In this module, participants will examine a broad range of legal, procedural, and operational issues that directly affect the work of first responders. By staying informed and adaptive, you ensure your actions align with professional standards and current best practices—leading to more consistent, legally sound, and safety-focused outcomes in the field.
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The National Center for Rural Road Safety provides coordinated, multidisciplinary, scalable, and accessible safety resources in order to empower rural road users to accelerate road safety improvements and save lives.
