Infrastructure & Operations
Drivers: Share the Road
The latest statistics show that about 40.62% of fatalities resulted from roadway departures, 22.30% occurred at intersections and 25.39% were non-motorized (pedestrian and bicycle). Louisiana has nearly 17,000 miles of state highways and 44,000 local roads that are used by over 2.9 million licensed drivers. The SHSP uses a data-driven safety analysis that combines predictive and systemic approaches to prioritize the deployment of effective countermeasures on high-crash horizontal curves and intersections.
The emphasis area also addresses non-motorized crashes, which are those involving pedestrians and bicyclists. The FHWA’s Office of Safety develops projects, programs and materials for use in reducing pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities. All of these materials can be found here.
Proven Safety Countermeasures
FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures initiative (PSCi) is a collection of 28 countermeasures and strategies effective in reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries on our Nation’s highways. These strategies are designed for all road users and all kinds of roads—from rural to urban, from high-volume freeways to less traveled two-lane State and county roads, from signalized crossings to horizontal curves, and everything in between. Each countermeasure addresses at least one safety focus area – speed management, intersections, roadway departures, or pedestrians/bicyclists – while others are crosscutting strategies that address multiple safety focus areas.
Download FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures 2 page flyer here.
Drive safely around pedestrians and bicyclists. A livable community is one that provides safe and convenient transportation choices to all citizens, whether it’s by walking, bicycling, transit, or driving.
Bicycle Safety
5 Safety Tips for Drivers
- Yield to bicyclists as you would motorists and do not underestimate their speed. This will help avoid turning in front of a bicyclist traveling on the road or sidewalk, often at an intersection or driveway.
- In parking lots, at stop signs, when packing up, or when parking, search your surroundings for other vehicles, including bicycles.
- Drivers turning right on red should look to the right and behind to avoid hitting a bicyclist approaching from the right rear. Stop completely and look left-right-left and behind before turning right on red.
- Obey the speed limit, reduce speed for road conditions and drive defensively to avoid a crash with a cyclist.
- Give cyclists room. Do not pass too closely. Pass bicyclists as you would any other vehicle—when it’s safe to move over into an adjacent lane.
Information for Bicyclists
Learn how to ensure a proper helmet fit and decrease the risk of crashes here. Also, check out NHTSA’s bicycle safety Rules of the Road for Riding Safely.
Pedestrian Safety
8 Safety Tips for Drivers
- Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times.
- Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as nighttime or bad weather.
- Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
- Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop too.
- Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing where you can’t see.
- Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
- Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street, in school zones and in neighborhoods where children are present.
- Be extra cautious when backing up and look for pedestrians.
Keep Your Kids Safe While They Walk
Share this colorful pamphlet with your children to help teach them safety tips for crossing the streets and things to remember when walking.
Stepping Out as an Older Adult
As adults age, gradual losses in their hearing, vision, reflexes, and flexibility put older pedestrians at risk. Learn how to ensure you maintain your safety while enjoying the health benefits of walking here.
Safety Fact
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infrastructure & operations team leaders
Natalie Sistrunk
DOTD District 5, Traffic Engineer
Cameron Polk
DOTD District 5, Traffic Engineer
Jeffrey Tyler
North Delta Planner
