DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IOWA GOVERNORS TRAFFIC SAFETY BUREAU J' Michael Laski, Director

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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IOWA GOVERNORS
TRAFFIC SAFETY BUREAUJ. Michael Laski, Director

• 2003 Iowa Safety Conscious Planning Forum
• January 28-29, 2003

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What is the Governors Traffic Safety Bureau?

• The Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB)
  administers the federally funded 402 highway
  safety program authorized by Congress. Federal
  highway safety programs are administered
  nationally by the National Highway Traffic Safety
  Administration, an agency of the United States
  Department of Transportation.

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GTSB MISSION STATEMENT

• The Mission of the Iowa Governors Traffic
  Safety Bureau is to identify traffic safety
  problems and develop and implement with local and
  state agencies traffic safety programs designed
  to reduce death and injury on Iowas streets and
  highways.

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GTSB Organizational Chart
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WHAT IS NHTSA?

• The National Highway Traffic Safety
  Administration, under the U.S. DOT, was
  established by the 1970 Highway Safety Act
• Responsible for reducing deaths, injuries and
  economic losses resulting form motor vehicle
  crashes
• Set and enforce safety performance standards for
  motor vehicle equipment
• Enable local highway safety programs via grants
  with state/local governments
• Investigate safety defects in motor vehicles and
  odometer fraud
• Set and enforce fuel economy standards and
  vehicle anti-theft regulations
• Conduct research on driver behavior and traffic
  safety

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What is the 402 Program?

• The federal 402 program is designed to help
  states, counties and communities initiate
  programs to address traffic safety problems. The
  main emphasis areas are 1) alcohol, 2) occupant
  protection, 3) police traffic services, 4) speed,
  5) emergency medical services, 6) traffic
  records, 7) roadway safety, 8) motorcycle safety,
  and 9) pedestrian/bicycle safety. Most programs
  are funded for three years through annual
  contracts with the GTSB. 402 funds are used as
  "seed money" to implement a project. Contractors
  usually continue project activity after 402
  funding expires.

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One critical component of the Bureaus overall
highway safety program is the promotion and
support of local multi-disciplinary safety teams
MDSTs
Metropolitan Planning Organizations often play a
critical role in the formation and success of
MDSTs. Some prime examples include

• The CARS (Community Awareness of Roadway Safety)
  group in the Quad Cities with the Bi-State
  Regional Planning Organization, a founding member
  of that group.
• In northeast Iowa, the Dubuque area MDST
  benefits from the strong participation of ECIA
  (East Central Iowa Association of local
  governments).
• In southwest Iowa, MAPA (Metropolitan Area
  Planning Association), joins with partners such
  as the Council Bluffs Police Department and the
  Department of Public Works to form SWIFT or the
  Southwest Iowa Freeway Management Team.

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• In addition to the driver behavior initiatives
  (promote safety belt use, discourage impaired
  driving, support enforcement of traffic laws such
  as speed and stop signs/lights) traditionally
  associated with 402 programs, the GTSB also
  supports Roadway Safety efforts

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Roadway Safety

• The GTSB partners with IDOT Office of Traffic
  Safety on 2 important very successful programs
• Safety Circuit Rider
• Initiated in 1989
• Cooperative effort between IDOT and CTRE
• Receives 50,000 in annual GTSB funding
• Nearly 500 persons trained annually including
  200 flaggers
• Includes additional work zone safety training,
  roadside safety, signing workshops, excavation
  safety traffic control devices
• Ably staffed by retired IDOT District Engineer
  Mr. Tom McDonald

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Roadway Safety

• T.E.A.P. Traffic Engineering Assistance Program
• Receives 100,000 in annual GTSB funding
• In a great example of seed money concept, now
  receives an additional 150,000 of IDOT funding
• 3 engineering consulting firms initiated a total
  of 33 studies in 2001 including pedestrian routes
  for students, rail grade crossings, truck routes
  and traffic safety analysis for problem
  intersections and corridors
• Capably managed by Tim Simodynes of the IDOT

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• Next, I want talk briefly about two other key
  program areas for the GTSB
• Corridor Enforcement Events and
• Iowas special traffic enforcement program
  effort - sTEP

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2002/2003 sTEP

• November 25-December 1, 2002
• December 28, 2002-January 3, 2003
• February 9-15, 2003
• May 18-June 2, 2003
• July 2-8, 2003
• August 25-September 1, 2003

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ALCOHOL - Goals

• To promote support initiatives to help achieve
  the national goal of 11,000 alcohol-related
  fatalities or fewer by the Year 2005.
• To maintain Iowas alcohol-related fatality rate
  at .45 fatalities or fewer per 100 million
  vehicular miles traveled. Iowas current rate is
  .39 nationally the rate is above .60.
• 118 of the 446 Iowa traffic fatalities in 2001
  were alcohol-related.

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OCCUPANT PROTECTIONGoals

• Iowas goal for statewide seat belt use by the
  end of 2003 is 85.
• The national goal for seat belt use by the end of
  2003 is 78.
• Because Iowas 81 belt use rate is above the
  national average of 75, we receive Section 157
  Incentive funds.

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Cost of Traffic Crashes

• Annual cost of U.S. traffic crashes 160
  billion
• Annual U.S. medical costs due to traffic crashes
  15 billion
• Annual cost of Iowa traffic crashes 1.3
  billion
• Annual Iowa 402 funding 2.2 million
• Annual U. S. 402 funding 147 million

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Good News

• In 2001, 118 alcohol-related fatalities, down 40
  from just 10 years ago
• Life Toll ( persons saved by safety belts) now
  at 4,951
• 2002 Projected Fatality Rate 1.37 lowest in
  Iowas history, down 30 in past 10 years
• Safety belt use statewide has increased to 81,
  the highest it has ever been.

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GTSB FUNDING - FFY 2002
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Incentive Funds - 410 Alcohol

• Section 410 Federal Alcohol Incentive Funds were
  initiated to encourage states to pass laws which
  will help reduce the incidence of impaired
  driving.
• Iowa has qualified for Section 410 funding for
  the last six years and has utilized the funding
  to
• Provide 928 Preliminary Breath Testers to
  enforcement agencies in 97 of Iowas 99 counties
• Provide 106 Video Cameras to 56 enforcement
  agencies
• Fund numerous multi-agency enforcement events
  around the state
• Help train Iowas Drug Recognition Expert
  officers for Iowas Drug Classification
  Evaluation Program

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Incentive Grant Programs/Funds

• Sec. 157 - Safety Belt Incentive Funds
  371,600-GTSB 182,134-DOT 553,734 Total
• Sec. 157i - Increased Seat Belt Use Incentive
  Funds Yr 1(5/00-6/01) 230,000 Yr 2
  (7/01-6/02) 340,000 Yr 3 (7/02-6/03) 570,703
• Sec. 411 - Traffic Records Incentive Funds
  (awarded in February/March 2002) 190,000
  Estimate
• Sec. 410 - Alcohol Incentive Funds (awarded in
  September 2002) 575,000 Estimate
• Sec. 405 - Occupant Protection Incentive Funds
  (awarded in September 2002) 294,802 Estimate

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IOWA TRENDSALCOHOL RELATED FATALITIES
Alcohol related fatalities declined from 251 in
1988 to 112 in 2000
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IOWA TRENDSSAFETY BELT USAGE RATE
Iowas 81 safety belt use rate is the highest in
NHTSA Region 7
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IOWA TRENDSCHILD RESTRAINT USE RATE
Iowas child restraint usage set an all-time high
in 2000 with 79
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IOWA TRENDSTRAFFIC FATALITIES
Iowa traffic fatalities reached an 8-year low in
2000
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IOWA TRENDSBICYCLE PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES
Bicycle pedestrian fatalities have fallen 60
since 1988
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IOWA TRENDSDRINKING DRIVERS UNDER 25 IN FATAL
CRASHES
Fatal crashes with drinking drivers under 25 have
declined 55 since 1988
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Traffic Crashes Dont Occur in a Vacuum

• In the end, it all comes down to partnerships,
  planning and prevention

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• Thank You
• Buckle Up Drive Safely