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Public Roads - Spring 2023

Training Update

Why Use Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA)?

by Thomas Elliott and Sabrina Sylvester
A highway with various vehicles and a city landscape alongside a series of numbers, consisting of ones and zeros. Image Source: © metamorwork / Shutterstock.com.


Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) provides evidence-based models that demonstrate how to quantify the safety impacts of transportation systems. Transportation professionals can effectively identify, apply, and explain DDSA to make the best decision in a transportation project’s planning and process development.

The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) National Highway Institute (NHI) developed new virtual training that provides information on how to use reliable analysis methods to make informed decisions and successfully discuss the results with transportation peers and the community-at-large.

Achieving successful DDSA with NHI

The Introduction to Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) (FHWA-NHI-380125), is a Web-based Training (WBT) that identifies and applies data-driven analysis for safety protocols in transportation systems. Participants will learn aspects of DDSA, including its terminology and benefits, how it impacts the transportation system’s safety performance, and the application of analysis results on performance-based decisions.

Additionally, participants will learn of possible restrictions of current safety analysis methods (e.g., crash frequency and rate) and more reliable methods (e.g., predicted and expected crashes). Also, learners will be able to determine the appropriate scale and scope of safety analysis efforts and associated data requirements.

NHI logo. Image Source: NHI.

 

Knowledge from this WBT will provide transportation professionals the tools to effectively communicate findings with other transportation professionals and the public, supporting the disbursement of public funds for programs and projects to achieve well-defined performance goals. DDSA will provide decision-makers with the tools necessary to ensure safety protocols are in place for transportation systems. Visit NHI’s website and register for this dynamic, engaging WBT.

How to Attend or Host a Course

NHI invites all transportation professionals interested in a course to visit https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/ to learn more about registering or hosting a course. The course catalog lists over 350 courses in 18 program areas.

NHI is an approved Accredited Provider by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). As an IACET Accredited Provider, NHI offers continuing education units for its programs that qualify under the American National Standards Institute/IACET Standard.


Thomas Elliott is a master trainer and training program manager for NHI.

Sabrina Sylvester is a senior marketing analyst contractor for NHI.