Aggressive Driving: Appendix 11Profiles of State and Local Agency Implementation Efforts: Strategy 4.1 A2 (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation)Emphasis Area Objective Strategy Agency and Jurisdiction Problem(s) Identified PennDOT developed a Driver Safety Corridor Initiative as part of its efforts to reduce highway fatalities. Several types of corridors are identified to be targeted for safety improvement efforts. These are Aggressive Driving Corridors, Alcohol Crash Corridors, Heavy Truck Crash Corridors, and Unbelted Crash Corridors. The Aggressive Driving Corridors were identified by determining high concentrations, or clusters, of crashes involving aggressive driving. Thirty-three aggressive driving related crash factors have been defined by PennDOT. These include actions such as red-light running, tailgating, driving too fast for conditions, and illegal turns. Five or more crashes on the same section of roadway in the past five years in which the primary factor of the crashes was any one of the 33 aggressive driving related factors is defined as a cluster. The roadways that were determined to have the highest number of aggressive driving clusters were designated as Aggressive Driving Corridors. PennDOT developed a list of the locations of the Aggressive Driving Corridors, and produced a GIS map for each. These materials were sent to each of the 11 respective state district offices which have responsibility for the maintenance and safety of the state roads in those corridors. Some of the Aggressive Driving Corridors were also determined to qualify for other types of Driver-Safety-Corridor designations. Goals and Objectives Established Description of Strategy Implemented
The use of the signs was combined with increased enforcement in the area where signs are installed. Police agencies committed to contribute at least 7 to 10 hours per week of visible enforcement when the signs are used. In addition to the enforcement efforts mentioned above, local public information and education efforts supplement the highway signs. Aggressive driver warning signs are being installed on additional corridors, and new locations are being considered as well. Crash history, physical characteristics of potential sign locations, public response to the initiative, and feasibility of continued police enforcement are all considered by PennDOT when determining locations for aggressive driving warning signs. Therefore, the Aggressive Driving Corridors with the worst aggressive driving related crash experience are not always the most appropriate locations for the signs. Summary of the Results Enforcement is a key issue in reducing aggressive driving. Pennsylvania's experience with similar programs has been that public information and education strategies do no work as effectively as when combined with enforcement. The involvement of police in enforcing the aggressive driving signs has not been evaluated. Though the police organizations made a commitment to provide a certain amount of enforcement in the areas where the signs were placed, data have not been collected on how intensely the enforcement has occurred. This will be evaluated during the study of effectiveness mentioned above. Contact Person and Information |