“In order to achieve a target of zero fatalities and serious injuries, it is necessary to create a ‘traffic safety culture’ that prioritizes safety, encourages safe road user behavior, and facilitates cooperation among stakeholders. The way our society values traffic safety will determine our ultimate success.” Ward et al., 2019
The Traffic Safety Culture Transportation Pooled Fund (TSC-TPF) Program began in 2015 as a cooperative effort of participating state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other (traditional and non-traditional) organizations with a vested interest in bolstering the concept and understanding of “culture” in traffic safety while supporting the “Toward Zero Death (TZD)” strategy, which includes eliminating crash fatalities and serious injuries. The TSC-TPF was established by a group of U.S. states led by Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) through the mechanism of a U.S. Department of Transportation State Planning and Research (SPR) pooled fund program in partnership with the Center for Health and Safety Culture. The program is built on the idea that only through growth of a positive safety culture can significant and sustainable reductions in crash fatalities and serious injuries be achieved.
The goals of the pooled fund are to (1) conduct research to solve specific culture-based traffic safety problems, (2) create training and education materials to enhance workforce understanding and application of traffic safety culture methods, and (3) provide technology transfer of best practices in traffic safety culture methods to all stakeholders. Together, these efforts will support the transformation of traffic safety culture within the families, communities, and organizations of participating states.
There were 14 participating states in the Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program Phase 1. They were CA, CT, IA, ID, IL, IN, LA, MT, NH, NV, TX, UT, VT, and WA. The 14 states participating in the program committed $1,225,000.00 in funds over the initial five-year period.
There are 19 participating states in the Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program Phase 2. They are CA, CT, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MS, MT, NV, TX, UT, VT, and WA. The 19 states participating in the program have committed $1,440,000.00 in funds over the second five-year period.
Kari Finley, a research scholar at the Center for Health and Safety Culture and principal investigator on many pooled fund projects, believes the pooled fund has had a significant influence that will continue into the future: “The research of the pooled fund has advanced the science about what traffic safety culture is and how it can be applied to improve traffic safety in our communities. With a strong foundation in place to understand traffic safety culture, my hope is future research continues to build an evidence base for effective traffic safety culture strategies.”
Nicholas Ward, director of the Center for Health and Safety Culture, principal investigator on some pooled fund projects, and one of the individuals involved in the initial conversation between MDT and MSU, believes that the pooled fund has gotten more states talking about traffic safety culture and thinking about its relevance to their traffic safety goals. He hopes that the pooled fund continues to fund and evaluate innovative strategies to grow a positive traffic safety culture that could then be adapted by other communities.
If you are interested in participating in this transportation pooled fund or wish to be added to the mailing list, please contact Kelly Green at kelly.green6@montana.edu.
TSC-TPF Research Projects Led by Center for Health and Safety Culture
Driving After Cannabis Use
Exploring Traffic Safety Citizenship
Guidance for Evaluating Traffic Safety Culture Strategies
Guidance on Messaging to Avoid Reactance and Address Moral Disengagement
Guidance to Promote Workplace Policies and Family Rules to Reduce Cell Phone Use While Driving and Promote Engaged Driving
Key Information for DUIC Policy
Proactive Traffic Safety: Empowering Behaviors to Reach our Shared Vision of Zero Deaths and Serious Injuries
Resources and Tools to Reduce Multi-Risk Driving Behaviors
A Review of Methods to Change Beliefs
Traffic Safety Culture Primer
Traffic Safety Cultures and the Safe Systems Approach
Understanding Law Enforcement Attitudes and Beliefs about Traffic Safety
Every project has a final report, poster, and webinar. Many of the projects also have ready to use tools for traffic safety professionals. Some of the tools are included here.
