Lane Departure, ECHS, Committees,Traffic Engineering, NCDOT

Rumble Strips to Reduce Lane Departure Crashes
Description:	Increasing the utilization of rumble strips as an effective countermeasure to reducing the number of run-off-road type collisions.
Group Lead:	Roger Thomas, NCDOT - Highway Design
ECHS Approval:	July 21, 2004
Host Agency:	NC Department of Transportation
Agency Contact:	Debbie Barbour, NCDOT - Preconstruction
Notes:	In an aggressive effort to reduce the number of ROR crashes, the Department has revised their guidelines to place rumble strips on all median divided Interstates, Freeways and Expressways where access is limited to at grade intersections. The placement of rumble strips shall also be considered for other types of roadway facilities where there is a documented history of lane departure type crashes. Rural median divided roadways with partial control of access will be considered on a case by case basis. The revised guidelines also propose to move the placement of rumble strips to 6" off the edge of travel lane. The revised policy allows for rumble strips to be incorporated into new TIP and 3R/4R resurfacing projects.
Status:	Actively being implemented - The Department has programmed over $8 million in rumble strip projects.

Provide Roadway Design & Geometric Enhancements
Description:	This strategy includes improvements to the roadway cross-section, which will reduce the likelihood of lane departure crashes, primarily by helping to keep the vehicle on the roadway.
Group Lead:	Roger Thomas, NCDOT - Highway Design
ECHS Approval:	October 20, 2004
Host Agency:	NC Department of Transportation
Agency Contact:	Steve Varnedoe, NCDOT - Operations
Notes:	This strategy will be incorporated into the practices and policy of the construction and maintenance programs within the Department. It will be an enhancement to existing programs and not an additional program to be administered.
Status:	Active.

Target Enforcement to Deter Behaviors Contributing to Lane Departure Crashes
Description:	Upon analyses of lane departure related crashes, there are three primary factors often involved: 1) Speed, 2) Alcohol and 3) Unbelted occupants. This strategy focuses on encouraging law enforcement agencies and officers to identify and then to concentrate enforcement efforts on problem areas and peak times within their jurisdiction. The intent is to target locations rather than individual drivers.
Group Lead:	Sargent Tim Hartsell, Concord Police Department
ECHS Approval:	July 21, 2004
Host Agency:	NC Department of Transportation - Governor's Highway Safety Program
Agency Contact:	Darrell Jernigan, NCDOT - GHSP
Notes:	The Governor's Highway Safety Program (GHSP) will be initiating a campaign focused on the issue of speeding called "No Need 2 Speed". This strategy will be combined with the GHSP initiative to evaluate the short, intermediate and long range effects of enforcement activities on speeding. Depending on the outcome, the results may be utilized as the basis for future strategies.
Status:	Waiting for GHSP campaign to be finalized and implemented.

Implementation of "The Safety Edge"
Description:	Research has shown that vertical pavement edge drop-offs of three inches or less can contribute to vehicular loss of control, leading to a possible subsequent crash. This strategy addresses the unsafe pavement edge issue by the adoption of a standard contract specification requiring an asphalt fillet, "Safety Edge" of no more than a 45 % angle along each side of the roadway in all paving projects on state system roadways in North Carolina.
Group Lead:	Bucky Galloway - NCDOT
ECHS Approval:	N/A
Host Agency:	N/A
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:
Status:	In draft mode - Work Group discussion are continuing. Candidate locations are being identified for possible pilot implementation.

Driver's Education
Description:	North Carolina spends in excess of $30 million each year on driver's education. The present NC general statutes that governs the curriculum of the Driver's Education program are dated and need to be revised. There is also a need to review the content of the curriculum, who is accountable and other key issues. A decision has been made to thoroughly investigate the current initiatives to determine if the end product can be improved to reduce the number of collisions involving young drivers.
Group Lead:	N/A
ECHS Approval:	N/A
Host Agency:	N/A
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:	This is a joint effort between several of the working groups; Lane Departure, Keeping Drivers Alert and Speed.
Status:	Assigned to newly formed Public Information and Education Working Group

Evaluation of Advanced Driving Schools
Description:	There are several advanced driving schools offered in North Carolina to provide drivers with additional experience behind the wheel. These typically are targeted towards young (teens) and therefore inexperienced drivers and teach them how to handle emergency situations (i.e. how to properly correct when the vehicle runs off the edge of the road).
Group Lead:	Cliff Braam - NCDOT
ECHS Approval:	N/A
Host Agency:	N/A
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:	N/A
Status:	On Hold