Engagement of the Public Health Community in Traffic Injury Prevention via Strategic Highway Safety Plans

Development of strategic highway safety plans (SHSP) by states has been a federal transportation requirement for the past decade. Each plan is designed to provide a comprehensive framework for reducing fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.  SHSPs are developed through a cooperative process involving local, state, federal, tribal and private sector safety stakeholders with expertise in the four E's of highway safety – engineering, education, enforcement and emergency medical services (EMS).  The plans must be data-driven and establish statewide goals, objectives, and key emphasis areas on which to focus resources. Most states have experienced significant drops in traffic fatalities and injuries since SHSPs have been required.  However, a number of states have experienced recent increases in these numbers and will need to be even more strategic and targeted in their approaches moving forward to achieve further reductions.  States are recognizing they will need to engage a broader range of partners – including increased engagement by the public health community – to define the most effective strategies on which to spend resources.  Additionally, states are recognizing increased focus on program evaluation is needed moving forward to ensure resources are spent only on the most effective programs.  The traffic safety community will benefit from developing increased partnerships with the public health community to identify the most effective education programs and conduct improved program evaluation throughout the SHSP process. Increased public health engagement will be beneficial both at the state strategic planning level and via community based implementation of SHSP strategies.