A. George Ostensen

1
White House Conference on Aging Listening
Session USDOT- FHWA Perspective
Infrastructure, Operations Safety
A. George Ostensen FHWA Office of Safety 8
January 2005
2
Todays Presentation

• Where is FHWA on Older Road User issues
• Highlight 2 current initiatives
• Some ongoing Challenges

3
FHWA Older Road User Activities

• Early attention
• FHWA Safety and Mobility for an Aging Population
• Specific Activities
• 1997 - FHWA Older Driver Highway Design Handbook
  Guidelines
• 1999 - FHWA Older Road User Workshops
• 2000 2003 - Revised Highway Standards
• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
• AASHTO Green Book

4
FHWA Older Road User Activities

• Recent Initiatives
• 2001 - Revised FHWA Handbook guidelines
• 2003 - Guidance for AASHTO Strategic Highway
  Safety Plan Implementation
• 2003 - Demonstration projects to evaluate the
  effectiveness of older road user guidelines
• 2004 - Travel Better, Travel Longer Pocket Guide

5
FHWA Older Road User Workshop

• Describe/demonstrate age-related changes to
  engrs other highway safety professionals.
• Recommendations and how to use the handbook
• Practice application through case studies
• Almost 3000 practitioners trained in 45 States.

6
FHWA Demonstration Projects

• Arizona DOT pedestrian safety
• Washington DOT signs/signals/markings
• Massachusetts Governors Highway Safety
  Bureau - work zone safety

7
Comprehensive Highway Safety Plans

• FHWA is assisting States in taking a
  comprehensive, data-driven approach to improving
  highway safety.
• Every State needs to determine how to address the
  older road user safety issues in their State.
• SAFETEA provides additional funds for safety
  improvements, including those that will improve
  safety for older road users.

8
Ongoing Challenges

• Working with broad spectrum of highway safety
  professionals Engineering, Education,
  Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services to move
  the numbers using a multidisciplinary,
  comprehensive approach
• Expanding awareness of older road users needs
  and implementation of appropriate infrastructure
  solutions that help ALL road users.

9
Summary

• Improvements that help older users help everyone
• FHWA has researched, identified and promoted
  infrastructure changes
• We are working with partners to improve safety
  and mobility of older road users and all road
  users
• FHWA encourages States to develop Comprehensive
  Highway Safety Plan to identify safety problems