Itasca, Ill. – The National Safety Council is thrilled with the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) announced Wednesday by the US Department of Transportation. Specifically, NSC is happy to see the department has publicly committed to a goal of zero roadway fatalities, focusing on using the Safe System approach to prevent crashes.
“NSC has long advocated for the importance of a Safe System approach and applauds the department’s aggressive plan to reverse the alarming trends in roadway fatalities we’ve seen in recent years,” said Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO. “NSC is committed to protecting the lives of all roadway users, and looks forward to continuing its partnership with the Department of Transportation to advance safety for all roadway users.”
Specifically, to support the implementation of the National Roadway Safety Strategy and continue working towards a goal of zero traffic deaths, NSC commits to the following in 2022:
- Leveraging NSC network of 15,500 member companies representing 7 million employees across the U.S. to encourage a 25% increase in the downloading of the Safe Driving Toolkit and commitments of the Just Drive Pledge
- Improving the safety of children on our roads by increasing the number of users of the National Digital Car Seat Check Form by 10% and the number of completions of the e-learning training, Car Seat Basics by 10%
- Expanding the reach of the National Child Passenger Safety Training curriculum to diverse audiences by offering a new hybrid offering consisting of e-learning, virtual meetings, and in-person sessions
- Incorporating elements of the National Roadway Safety Strategy into the nationally recognized Distracted Driving Awareness Month hosted by NSC in April 2022
- Funding the Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grants program with shared priority projects that fill a gap or address existing disparities in traffic safety and additional shared goals from the NRSS
- Supporting teen driver safety through delivery of DriveitHOME materials to 4,000 influencing adults
- Cultivating relationships with 25 local, state and national partners and workplaces to share and engage with DriveitHOME resources
- Improving vehicle safety by growing the already 700,000 drivers who have checked for recalls using Check to Protect by hosting at least three recall canvassing events and piloting programs with three states
- Working with vehicle safety manufacturers, consumers and other stakeholders to develop a minimum of three new resources for the webpage on My Car Does What to educate the public on the limits and opportunities of vehicle safety technology in vehicles
- Advocating for state-level mobility safety improvements to complement federal efforts, including implementing safe systems, supporting and ensuring equitable enforcement of primary seat belt laws, reducing impaired driving and lowering speed limits
- Hosting monthly webinars to the Road to Zero network of more than 1,800 members, providing opportunities to share resources, discuss ideas for implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, highlight leaders from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and amplify diverse successful traffic safety efforts to a virtual audience
NSC and more than 2,000 additional organizations and individuals asked President Biden to set a national goal of zero roadway fatalities, and bipartisan resolutions have been introduced in Congress calling for the same goal. With zero as the new goal, safety must be prioritized.
NSC was thrilled with the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November; it foretold this commitment as many provisions included in the legislation are a reflection of the landmark Road to Zero report issued in 2018. This report called on policymakers and others to follow its three pillars for roadway safety: double down on what works, advance technology and prioritize safety with a Safe System approach. Elements of each of these important pillars are included in the NRSS, and we know we must work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders to bring these elements to life. NSC is prepared to support these efforts.
About the National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for over 100 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace, roadway and impairment. We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.
