Indiana Department of Transportation
Traffic Safety
INDOT's Traffic Safety division administers several safety programs that strive to meet state and federal safety goals on both the state highway system and local roads. Traffic Safety works to reduce crash occurrences and severity on all Indiana roads.
Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)
Improving highway safety is vital to the health and well-being of every Hoosier. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death from age three to 33 and the eighth leading cause of death across all ages.
Looking beyond the personal tragedy of death and injury, healthcare costs and lost productivity due to traffic crashes contribute to a significant economic loss annually. The estimated annual cost of Indiana traffic crashes is in excess of $2.5 billion.
Indiana’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan , as required by title 23 U.S.C. § 148, identifies critical highway safety problems and opportunities for saving lives, reducing suffering and economic losses resulting from traffic crashes. It also serves to coordinate the traffic safety activities of state agencies, municipal entities and private highway safety organizations.
In January 2009, with the promulgation of new regulations in 23 CFR Part 924 on the Highway Safety Improvement Program, INDOT began a process to evaluate and revise the original SHSP adopted in 2006. This action to comply with new rules and guidance set a target of having a new FHWA approved plan in place before the start of federal fiscal year 2011. Rather than adapting and revising the existing plan the updated SHSP is a new document incorporating lessons learned from Indiana’s first SHSP and best practices from the experiences of other states.
This new SHSP document provides coordination of purpose, data sources, problem identification, emphasis areas and partnerships. The lead state agencies evaluate implementation action plans annually as part of federally required highway safety action plans and reports.
- Highway Safety Improvement Program (Per 23 CFR 924)
- Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Action Plan (Per 49 U.S.C. § 202)
- Highway Safety Plan (Per 23 U.S.C. § 402)
- Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (Per 49 CFR 350)
SHSP EMPHASIS AREAS
1. Roadway Departure Crashes
2. Intersection Crashes
3. Large Vehicle Conflict Crashes
4. Roadway Restriction Related Crashes
5. Vulnerable User Crashes
6. Human Factor Contribution to Crashes
Highway Safety Improvement Program
The “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (SAFETEA-LU), which was signed into law on August 10, 2005, established the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) as a core Federal-aid program. The overall purpose of this program is to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads through the implementation of infrastructure-related highway safety improvements.
Detailed provisions pertaining to the HSIP, such as qualifying projects and federal funding share, are defined in Section 148 of Title 23, United States Code (23 USC 148).
To ensure that application of the HSIP is organized and systematic providing the greatest benefits to safety, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established a formalized HSIP process that consists of three major components: planning, implementation and evaluation. These requirements are contained in Part 924, Title 23 Code of Federal Regulations (23 CFR 924).
Local Highway Safety Programs
Local governments should be aware of the requirements that must be met when applying for HSIP funds for local projects. INDOT has prepared a guidance document on how local public agencies can participate in the HSIP. It is essential that public agencies planning to apply for this funding read and understand the guidance before beginning the process.
High Risk Rural Road
The High Risk Rural Road (HRRR) program is one of two set-aside component of the HSIP and supports road safety construction or operational improvements on high risk rural roads.
A “High Risk” rural road is defined as any roadway functionally classified as a rural major or minor collector or a rural local road on which the crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries exceeds the statewide average for those functional classes of roadway; or that will likely have increases in traffic volume that are likely to create an crash rate for fatalities and incapacitating injuries that exceeds the statewide average for those functional classes of roadway.
Rail-Highway Crossings
Indiana has more than 5,900 at grade public rail-highway crossings, which is more than all but four other states. Indiana also has a large number of grade-separated crossings. More than half of the at grade public rail-highway crossings in Indiana have train activated warning devices, which is better than the national average. Many drivers pay little or no attention at highway-rail crossings they drive across day after day because they never see a train there, yet many highway-rail accidents can be avoided.
Rail-Highway Crossing Program (Section 130)
Section 130 is common name for the federal highway-rail grade crossing safety improvement fund, which is the second set-aside component of the HSIP.
Safe Routes To School Program
The Safe Routes To School Program provides funds to encourage safe walking or bicycling to school for kindergarten through 8th grade.
- The purpose of the Safe Routes to School Program is to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity. The Program makes funding available for a wide variety of programs and projects, from building safer street crossings to establishing programs that encourage children and their parents to walk and bicycle safely to school.
- Safe Routes To School Program
Contact Information
Michael Holowaty, P.E.
Manager, Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-5337
mholowaty@indot.in.gov
Alan Holderread
Safety Engineer, Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-5231
aholderread@indot.in.gov
Kevin Knoke, P.E.
Engineer - Rail Crossing Safety Program
Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-233-3944
kknoke@indot.in.gov
Roger Manning
Planner - Strategy Highway Safety Plan
Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-5204
rmanning@indot.in.gov
Michael O’Loughlin
Planner - Safe Routes to School Program
Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-5653
moloughlin@indot.in.gov
Roy Wasson
Engineering Assistant,Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-5166
rwasson@indot.in.gov
John Nagle, P.E.
Safety Systems Management Engineer, Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-5464
jangle@indot.in.gov
Lawrence Ozobu
Safety Systems Engineer,Traffic Safety
Indiana Department of Transportation
100 N. Senate Ave., IGCN 958
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-3765
lozobu@indot.in.gov
