Impacts of State-Specific Policy and Legislation on Safety Advancement by Departments of Transportation

Abstract

The overall goal of this research was to identify proven successful safety programs used in other states and assess the potential for safety improvement if similar programs were implemented in South Carolina. The research team not only sought out engineering solutions, but also expanded the search to include programs for enforcement, education, licensing, legal proceedings, and emergency services—therefore incorporating a wide range of stakeholder groups. South Carolina has, for many years, had one of the highest mileage death rates of any state in the nation—far exceeding the national fatality rate. While South Carolina Department of Transportation has a federal requirement to develop and maintain the Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which identifies the state’s key safety needs and guides investment decisions toward strategies and countermeasures with the most potential to save lives and prevent injuries, South Carolina legislation and state policies have effectively blocked many paths to safety improvements. Tree protection ordinances, limited policies for graduated drivers licensing, bans on camera enforcement, and lack of universal helmet laws continue to undermine efforts to improve motor vehicle safety in the state. Using a data-driven approach to safety program selection will yield support for changes in programs, policies, and standards, and have positive impacts on safety, operational, and economic aspects of the South Carolina roadway system. Further, the implementation of a data-driven safety management program will help to assure that the most appropriate strategies are implemented. The successful implementation of this research would likely result in a substantial reduction in loss of life and injuries associated with motor vehicle crashes in the state of South Carolina.