The following sections provide additional background on the use of safety data in the HSIP, the MIRE elements, and the FDE/HSIP, as each relates to this effort.

Use of Safety Data in the HSIP

In 2009, 33,808 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the U.S.  According to the U.S. DOT, the total societal cost of crashes exceeds $230 billion annually (4).  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 HSIP as a core Federal-aid program.  The overall objective of the HSIP is to significantly reduce the occurrence of fatalities and serious injuries resulting from crashes on all public roads.  The FHWA established a formalized HSIP process to ensure that the HSIP is carried out in an organized, systematic manner where the greatest benefits are achieved. 

The 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 924 states that “The HSIP shall include a data-driven SHSP and the resulting implementation through highway safety improvement projects.”  Further, it defines a SHSP as “a comprehensive, data-driven safety plan developed, implemented, and evaluated in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 148”(5).

While the formalized HSIP process detailed in 23 CFR Part 924 addresses the use of safety data in the HSIP, there is no additional detail on the specific data elements that agencies should be collecting, maintaining, and using to support their HSIPs and development and implementation of their SHSPs.  This was highlighted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report 09-035 on the HSIP.  The report, titled Highway Safety Improvement Program, Further Efforts Needed to Address Data Limitations and Better Align Funding with States’ Top Safety Priorities regarding the HSIP, contained recommendations regarding data needs to help fill identified gaps (6).  These recommendations, which the FHWA accepted for action, include the following:

• Define which roadway inventory data elements a State needs to meet Federal requirements for HSIP.
• Set a deadline for States to finalize development of the required roadway data.
• Require States to submit schedules to the FHWA for achieving compliance with this requirement (6).

There still remains a need for guidance for the fundamental roadway and traffic data elements that States should be collecting to support their HSIP.

Model Inventory of Roadway Elements

MIRE, the Model Inventory of Roadway Elements, is a recommended listing of roadway inventory and traffic elements critical to safety management (3).  MIRE is intended as a guideline to help transportation agencies improve their roadway and traffic data inventories.  It provides a basis for what can be considered a good/robust data inventory and helps agencies move towards the use of performance measures.

There are a total of 202 elements that comprise the MIRE listing.  These elements are divided among three broad categories: roadway segments, roadway alignment, and roadway junctions.  There are many benefits to State and local transportation agencies in expanding their inventories through the collection of MIRE elements.  Having these additional data can help better identify where the safety problems are, what those problems are, and how best to treat them.  Additional information on MIRE, including the full listing of elements, can be found at http://www.mireinfo.org.

MIRE is intended as guidance and provides a comprehensive listing of the data elements to support the HSIP.  However, due to the economic climate, it may not be feasible for States to collect all of the MIRE elements and integrate them into their existing programs.