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Measures

Provide a safe and secure transportation system

There is no more fundamental responsibility of transportation agencies and officials than to provide for the safety and security of the traveling public. Our goal is to ensure that the transportation system provides the safest roads, buses, trains and airports, and travelers and commuters are safe and secure while using the system.

Performance characteristics include:

• Highway traffic crash fatalities increased by 65 to 1026
• The highway fatality rate increased to 13.30  per 100,000 people but remained below the national average
• Highway traffic crashes decreased
• 35 aviation crashes resulted in 10 fatalities
• 228 public transit crashes resulted in 8 fatalities

Performance measures help to assess the progress being made, understand the key elements that influence the indicators, and identify strategies for improvement.

Performance Measures

• Statewide Highway Fatalities and Fatality Rate
• Statewide Highway Crashes and Crash Rate
• Number of Transit Crashes
• Number of Aviation Crashes
• Maritime Security Act Compliance
• Airport Voluntary Certification Program
• Safety & Security Plans

Statewide Highway Crash Fatalities
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The 2006 Strategic Highway Safety Plan established a goal of no more than 846 highway crash related fatalities by 2010 (100 less than the 2005 level).

In 2007, there were 1,026 fatalities on Virginia's roadways, an increase of 65 from 2006 and the highest level since 1990.   Mirroring national trends, motorcyclist fatalities contributed heavily to overall fatality rate and level increases, as 126 motorcyclists were killed in 2007, an 80 percent increase over 2006.

Source: Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

Virginia’s highway fatality rate increased to 13.30 per 100,000 people but remained below the national average.  Compared to neighboring states, Virginia had a higher rate than Maryland but a lower rate than North Carolina and Tennessee.  Massachusetts had the lowest fatality rate in the nation.


Source: US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

In Virginia’s metropolitan areas, both the number of fatalities and the fatality rates have trended downward in Northern Virginia but upward in the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas.

Hampton Roads Highway Crash Fatalities
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Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

Richmond Highway Crash Fatalities
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Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

Northern Virginia Highway Crash Fatalities
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Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

Statewide Highway Crashes

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Statewide highway crashes and the corresponding crash rate have trended downward over the last several years. For 2007, the number of crashes decreased to 145,405 from 151,692 in 2006 and the crash rate per 100,000 residents decreased to 1,885.

Source: Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

A similar trend can be seen in regional crashes and crash rates.  

Hampton Roads Highway Crashes

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Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

Richmond Highway Crashes

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Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

Northern Virginia Highway Crashes

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Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, US Department of Transportation (Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

Transit Crashes and Fatalities
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Transit crashes have trended upward over the past several years. In 2007, 228 transit crashes resulted in 8 fatalities, which compares to a yearly average of 7 per year.

Source: DRPT

Aviation Crashes and Fatalities
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Aviation crashes have trended upward over the past several years. In 2007, thirty-five aviation crashes resulted in 10 fatalities, equal to the annual average over the last 5 years.

Source: Virginia Department of Aviation, National Transportation Safety Board (Aviation database)

Crashes and Fatalities involving Bicycles
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Bicycle crashes and fatalities have trended downward over the past several years. In 2007, 875 crashes involving bicycles resulted in 7 fatalities.

Source:Division of Motor Vehicles

Crashes and Fatalities Involving Pedestrians
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Crashes involving pedestrians have trended downward over the past several years. In 2007, 1,771 crashes involving pedestrians resulted in 88 fatalities.

Source:Division of Motor Vehicles

Strategies to reduce fatalities and crashes include:

• Increase safety belt usage in motor vehicles
• Continue to press for a primary safety belt law
• Reduce number of alcohol-related crashes and fatalities
• Continue proven highway initiatives such as Click-it or Ticket, Checkpoint Strikeforce and Smooth Operator
• Continue to work collaboratively across transportation safety agencies
• Continue transit operator education and safety training
• Continue pilot education and safety training

Maritime Transportation Security Act Compliance
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In response to growing concerns for the security of our ports, the Maritime Transportation Security Act was signed into law in 2002 to protect the nation’s ports and waterways.  This Act sets forth requirements for ensuring port security and the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) is in 100% compliance with those regulations and has been since the Act’s conception.  The VPA scans all containers exiting the terminals for radiation and exceeds the standards set for random inspections.  The VPA is implementing new electronic gates at its terminals which record entry and exit to the terminals and ensures only personnel and truck drivers with valid port issued identification, certified by their companies can enter the terminals.  The new federally mandated Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC) has been implemented and will be required to access the marine terminals. 

Strategies to maintain compliance and enhance security include:

• Scan all containers exiting the terminals for radiation
• Continued compliance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act
• Implement TWIC Program within the existing VPA ID program
• Comply with all federal and state maritime security regulations
• Implement emerging state-of-the-market technologies to further deter, detect and respond to security intrusions; including smart fencing, intelligent video and mesh communications capabilities

Airports Voluntary Security Certification Program
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In 2003, the Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV) established the General Aviation Voluntary Security Certification Program that identifies minimum security measures for all of its 57 general aviation airports and encouraged each airport to conduct a screening audit and develop a security plan. As of 2007, 98 percent of the state’s general aviation airports have participated in the Voluntary Security Certification Program.

Strategies to increase participation to 100% include:

• Assist airports in developing security programs.

Safety and Security Plans
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The Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan (COOP) is a comprehensive framework for the management of statewide incidents that provides the structure and mechanisms for the coordination of state support to impacted local governments and affected individuals and businesses.  Each transportation agency has developed and updated its COOP plan in accordance with statewide procedures.

In a related matter, the federal Real ID Act enacted in 2005 establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is proceeding aggressively with its plan to meet the requirements of the federal law. 

Atlantic hurricane season creates uncertain weather conditions throughout the Commonwealth.  The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), VDOT, Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard have partnered to conduct annual emergency preparedness exercises designed to test the Commonwealth’s ability to reverse the interstate highway system for evacuations.  The reversal changes the direction of all eastbound lanes and diverts westbound traffic to both sides of the interstate, testing the ability of the Commonwealth to secure 36 on-ramps and ensure traffic is safely moved, while allowing for collection of data to improve the process based on real world experience.
 
Performance Summary

Grade = C

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