By Karen Scurry, FHWA Office of Safety

Three promotional cards from the series.HSIP promotional cards. (Source: FHWA)

The HSIP saves lives, and it’s important to promote the value of HSIP to decision makers who determine how and where to invest limited HSIP dollars. The FHWA Office of Safety recently published promotional cards that Federal, State, and local safety champions can use to promote the value of HSIP to decision makers. There are three cards, each focused on a different theme:

  • Return on investment — put your HSIP funds to work, and get everyone home safely.
  • Be proactive — take action before the crash happens using a systemic approach to safety.
  • Data-driven decisions — use data to invest your HSIP funds effectively.

Each card contains general messaging on the front and a case study example on the back. Agencies can customize the back to feature their own examples using the PowerPoint version of the file.

Consider how you might use these cards to encourage design engineers, district engineers, and directors to prioritize safety and maximize opportunities to advance highway safety improvement projects that have the greatest potential to reduce the State’s roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

Here are some ideas:

  • Use the cards as-is to illustrate how other agencies are successfully implementing HSIP. This might be helpful if:
    • Your agency is hesitant to implement highway safety improvement projects at locations with no history of crashes.
    • Safety data collection and analysis are a challenge for your agency.
    • There are additional opportunities to maximize lives saved through the HSIP.
  • Customize the cards to showcase a successful HSIP story in your State or agency. It might be helpful to share noteworthy practices among districts or regions.
  • Apply the card’s messaging in your talking points to various transportation leaders or other safety stakeholders. The content from the promotional cards can be easily translated into talking points or a presentation.

Through continued outreach and communication about the value of highway safety improvement projects and the HSIP, we can achieve our long-term vision of zero deaths on our Nation’s roads. For more information or to ask questions, please contact Karen Scurry at karen.scurry@dot.gov.