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Road departure countermeasures are used to decrease the risk of vehicles leaving their lane (or the road in general) and to minimize the consequences in the event that they do. These consequences include head-on crashes, run-off-the-road crashes, crashes with trees, and crashes with other road users. Some examples of countermeasures include rumble strips, enhanced pavement markings, widening shoulders, and establishing clear zones. These efforts are especially important in rural areas due to the high number of run-off-the road fatalities.
This section provides resources on road departure and potential safety countermeasures.
An FHWA EDC-5 Webinar in collaboration with NLTAPA and the National Center for Rural Road Safety Rural roadway departures make up a third of U.S. traffic fatali ... [ Read More » ]
An FHWA EDC-5 Webinar in collaboration with NLTAPA and the National Center for Rural Road Safety Rural roadway departures make up a third of U.S. traffic fatali ... [ Read More » ]
An FHWA EDC-5 Webinar in collaboration with NLTAPA and the National Center for Rural Road Safety. Rural roadway departures make up a third of U.S. traffic fatal ... [ Read More » ]
Rural roadway departures make up a third of U.S. traffic fatalities—about 30 people a day. The Every Day Counts round five (EDC-5) initiative, Focus on Reduci ... [ Read More » ]
FHWA’s Every Day Counts Round 5 is in full swing, and among the initiatives in this round is Reducing Rural Roadway Departures. Taking a cue from previous EDC rounds, this new set of initiatives continues to ad ...
[ Read More » ]The National Center for Rural Road Safety (Safety Center), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) EDC-5 Team, National Association of County Engineers (NACE) Saf ... [ Read More » ]
Rural road safety is often highlighted as a major safety issue since nearly 50% of traffic fatalities occur on rural road networks, even though only 19% of the US population lives in rural areas. A lesser known s ...
[ Read More » ]The National Center for Rural Road Safety (Safety Center), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) EDC-5 Team, National Association of County Engineers (NACE) Saf ... [ Read More » ]
The National Center for Rural Road Safety (Safety Center), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) EDC-5 Team, National Association of County Engineers (NACE) Saf ... [ Read More » ]
“NCHRP Report 641: Guidance for the Design and Application of Shoulder and Centerline Rumble Strips explores the design and application of shoulder and ce ... [ Read More » ]
Articles in this issue of the Safety Compass include: HSIP 2015 National Summary Report Now Available! DDSA: Performing A Health Check-Up On Your Roadways Data ... [ Read More » ]
This fact sheet discusses installing rumble strips on new or existing pavements. It includes discussions on pavement suitability for rumble strip implementation ... [ Read More » ]
“Road Safety Audits (RSAs) are a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future roadway or off-road facility and are conducted by an indep ... [ Read More » ]
This FHWA website provides 9 proven safety countermeasures that “address crashes in the focus areas of intersections, pedestrians, and roadway departure.& ... [ Read More » ]
“Pavement edge drop-off on highways has been linked to many serious crashes, including fatal collisions. To mitigate vertical drop-offs, FHWA advocates in ... [ Read More » ]
FHWA’s Office of Safety Design developed a Roadway Departure (RwD) Strategic Plan to provide a common vision for research, policy, and implementation to addre ... [ Read More » ]
It is an honor to formally recognize the extraordinary achievements of those selected for the 2015 National Roadway Safety Awards. The individuals, groups, and ... [ Read More » ]
Roadside Safety Pooled Fund
To establish an ongoing roadside safety research program that meets the research and functional needs of participating states in a cost-effective and timely man ... [ Read More » ]
Midwest States Pooled Fund Crash Test Program
Midwest States Pooled Fund Crash Test Program the objective of this project is to crash test highway roadside appurtenances to assure that they meet criteria es ... [ Read More » ]
Manual for Selecting Safety Improvements on High Risk Rural Roads
This manual provides information on the costs and benefits of safety treatments on high-risk rural roads (HRRR). Agencies can use this manual to determine the f ... [ Read More » ]
“As the commitment to improve highway safety emerged in the late 1960s and the philosophy of safer roadsides and clear zones took hold nationally there we ... [ Read More » ]