Overview
Safety is a key component of the federal performance-based planning process. FHWA published the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Final Rule and Safety Performance Management Measures Final Rule on March 15, 2016 (effective date of April 14, 2016) to help significantly reduce fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.
Performance Measures & Targets
The safety performance measures in the table below were established as part of the Safety Performance Management Measures Final Rule. State DOTs and MPOs are required to establish safety performance targets annually for each measure. State DOTs must adopt targets by August each year and MPOs have 180 days from the date the State DOT’s targets are set to establish their targets (MPO targets must be set no later than the following February). MPOs can either support the State DOT’s targets or develop their own targets.
NCDOT adopted its 2021 (current) safety targets in August 2020. CRTPO supported the NCDOT targets in February 2021. NCDOT’s calendar year (CY) 2021 safety targets are shown in the table below:
| Performance Measures | NCDOT (CY) 2021 Targets | NCDOT Adoption Date | CRTPO Adoption Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of fatalities | 1,309.9 | August 2020 | February 2021 |
| Fatality rate (per 100 million VMT) | 1.105 | August 2020 | February 2021 |
| Number of serious injuries | 3,656.1 | August 2020 | February 2021 |
| Serious injury rate (per 100 million VMT) | 3.065 | August 2020 | February 2021 |
| Number of non-motorized fatalities and non-motorized serious injuries | 504.4 | August 2020 | February 2021 |
| Performance Measures | NCDOT 2020 Targets | NCDOT Adoption Date | CRTPO Adoption Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of fatalities | 1,227.8 | August 2019 | February 2020 |
| Fatality rate (per 100 million VMT) | 1.084 | August 2019 | February 2020 |
| Number of serious injuries | 2,812.8 | August 2019 | February 2020 |
| Serious injury rate (per 100 million VMT) | 2.462 | August 2019 | February 2020 |
| Number of non-motorized fatalities and non-motorized serious injuries | 426.6 | August 2019 | February 2020 |
Previous year targets can be viewed here.
Plans
As part of the Safety Performance Management Measures Final Rule, State DOTs are required to update their Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) every five years. An SHSP is a statewide-coordinated safety plan that identifies a State’s key safety needs and guides investment decisions toward strategies and countermeasures with the most potential to save lives and prevent injuries.
NCDOT’s current SHSP was developed in 2019. CRTPO coordinates with NCDOT on the development of this plan.
Reporting
State DOTs report safety targets annually in their State Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Reports. NCDOT’s HSIP Report can be found here. CRTPO coordinates with NCDOT on the development of this plan. CRTPO reports its safety targets to NCDOT annually via resolution.
Accountability & Transparency
FHWA assesses if State DOTs have made significant progress towards achieving their safety targets on an annual basis. The assessment begins in December and findings are reported to the DOT by March. Significant progress is made if the DOT has met four of its five targets or the actual outcome for the target is better than baseline performance.
If the State DOT does not meet or make significant progress toward meeting its targets, it must use obligation authority equal to the HSIP apportionment for the fiscal year (FY) prior to the target year (only for HSIP projects) and submit an HSIP Implementation Plan to FHWA. MPOs do not currently face repercussions if significant progress is not made toward meeting their targets.
In early 2020, FHWA completed an assessment of target achievement for NCDOT’s CY 2018 safety targets. Based on FHWA’s review, NCDOT has not met or made significant progress toward achieving its safety performance targets.