Zero may seem like an impossible goal—especially when it comes to traffic-related deaths. But a new road map can help state, local, and tribal agencies and private industry turn that goal into a robust movement to make zero a reality.
The comprehensive suite of tools, dubbed A Road Map for Implementing the Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) National Strategy on Highway Safety, is now available for free on the National TZD website. Developed by a multidisciplinary team led by CTS, this new guidance highlights what is necessary for a successful TZD program while accounting for unique jurisdictional characteristics.
“The road map is designed to move TZD from an idea to a powerful movement supported by stakeholders and partners from multiple disciplines,” says Carlos Braceras, president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). “States, communities, and organizations that use these and other resources…will be well-positioned to make zero a reality.”
The new suite of tools includes:
- A road map guidance document that identifies the essential elements for effectively implementing and sustaining a TZD program, action step checklists, and best practices.
- Two online self-assessment tools focused on program development and implementation and on stakeholder involvement. The tools identify a continuum of tasks to help organizations determine the status of their TZD program and move it forward.
- A how-to guide for implementing the existing TZD Strategic Communications Plan. It identifies elements needed to promote TZD adoption, offers guidance for targeting partners, and discusses how to train and use ambassadors.
- A PowerPoint presentation for use by partners and ambassadors that complements the how-to guide.
- Three online tutorials that address the benefits of partnering, provide tactics for connecting with and engaging different types of partners, and highlight how states and communities are working with partners to promote TZD efforts.
Project partners included Jacobs, HDR Inc., MBO Engineering, and Pam Fischer Consulting. Humphrey School associate professor Kathy Quick also contributed her expertise to the project, leading the development of the online self-assessment tool focused on stakeholder involvement. In addition, the team gathered input from state and local transportation officials and advocates from across the United States.
To build awareness of the new road map and provide tools to implement the TZD national strategy, the project team will host a biweekly webinar series beginning on January 30, as well as a series of workshops held in conjunction with national conferences. More information about the upcoming events is available on the CTS website.
This work was sponsored by AASHTO in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and was conducted under the NCHRP, which is administered by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
