Utah Zero Fatalities Leadership Award 2016
The Zero Fatalities Leadership Award honors individuals for outstanding leadership that significantly improves highway safety to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries. The recipient of this award must have undertaken a concerted, long-term effort to make Utah's roadways safer and must have made significant contribution to the field of highway safety. The recipient must have established and implemented programs or have been responsible for notable advancements in technology or research throughout the years that have yielded a demonstrated safety impact.
American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award 2010
The Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award is given annually by AASHTO to the individual selected as rendering the most outstanding service in the field of engineering or management, which can cover both technical and administrative aspects. To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be an active employee of an AASHTO member department. The recipient must be in middle management, and have made an outstanding contribution to his/her department in engineering or management.
The Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award is given annually by AASHTO to the individual selected as rendering the most outstanding service in the field of engineering or management, which can cover both technical and administrative aspects. To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be an active employee of an AASHTO member department. The recipient must be in middle management, and have made an outstanding contribution to his/her department in engineering or management.
AASHTO Safety Leadership Award 2013
This award recognizes a member State that has demonstrated itself as a safety champion through actions designed to drive down serious injuries and fatalities. The nominee must demonstrate evidence of leadership showing that safety is a priority in their state. Also, the State CEO and/or Safety Champion is a recognized safety leader (in-state, national, or international); works cooperatively with state, local, and other safety stakeholders including, but not limited to, the formation of a state highway safety policy committee; have in place a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) that includes aggressive safety targets; the development of strong partnerships at the state and local, level, with shared ownership of targets; processes for ensuring the SHSP is evaluated and updated as appropriate; active participation in/on AASHTO, TRB/NCHRP, or FHWA safety-related committees, panels, and/or programs; application of new and innovative safety programs, infrastructure or legislation to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes; and demonstrating a fatality and/or serious injury reduction trend (a favorable trend in the five year moving average of fatalities).
This award recognizes a member State that has demonstrated itself as a safety champion through actions designed to drive down serious injuries and fatalities. The nominee must demonstrate evidence of leadership showing that safety is a priority in their state. Also, the State CEO and/or Safety Champion is a recognized safety leader (in-state, national, or international); works cooperatively with state, local, and other safety stakeholders including, but not limited to, the formation of a state highway safety policy committee; have in place a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) that includes aggressive safety targets; the development of strong partnerships at the state and local, level, with shared ownership of targets; processes for ensuring the SHSP is evaluated and updated as appropriate; active participation in/on AASHTO, TRB/NCHRP, or FHWA safety-related committees, panels, and/or programs; application of new and innovative safety programs, infrastructure or legislation to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes; and demonstrating a fatality and/or serious injury reduction trend (a favorable trend in the five year moving average of fatalities).
AASHTO President's Award for Highway Traffic Safety 2011 - Student Neighborhood Access Program (SNAP)
The President's Transportation Awards, nominations can be made by the Chief Executive Officers of the member departments or by the Chairpersons of the AASHTO Standing Committees based on the nominee(s) having performed exemplary service during the year furthering the transportation activities of his/her member department or committee which has, or potentially could have, a salutary impact on transportation nationwide or on a regional basis.
AASHTO President's Award for Highway Traffic Safety 2009 - Teen Driving Task Force
AASHTO President's Award for Highway Traffic Safety 2007 - UDOT Traffic and Safety Program
AASHTO Safety Leadership Award 2006
American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) John "Jake" Landen Memorial Safety Award - Public Sector 2011
Established in 1989 in memory of Traffic Safety Industry Division leader and Past ARTBA Chairman (1976) J.C. Landen, this annual award recognizes individuals from both the public and private sectors for their outstanding contributions to roadway safety.
Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) Peter K. O'Rourke Special Achievement Award 2013 - Utah "Don't Drive Stupid" Parent Night Program
The Peter K. O'Rourke Special Achievement Awards recognize notable achievements in the field of highway safety by individuals, coalitions, organizations, nonprofit groups, businesses, media, government agencies, universities, or programs. Submissions may include traffic safety programs, plans or legislation in areas including - but not limited to - occupant protection, impaired driving, speeding or aggressive driving, driver distraction, law enforcement, traffic records, emergency medical services and bicyclist, motorcyclist, or pedestrian safety.
Roadway Safety Foundation Operational Improvement Award 2007 - Student Neighborhood Access Program (SNAP)
The National Roadway Safety Awards is a biennial competition sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) to recognize roadway safety achievements that move the United States toward zero deaths and serious injuries on the nation's roadways.
Roadway Safety Foundation Operational Improvement Award 2005 - High Tensioned Cable Barrier
Utah Governor's Award for Excellence in Innovation and Efficiency 2010
This award recognizes individuals or a group of individuals who have fostered innovation, demonstrated new thinking and generated leading edge programs, policies or processes.
Student Neighborhood Access Program (SNAP)
Robert initiated an innovative program that help schools and communities easily develop safe routes to school. The SNAP program focused on student safety as its first priority through a fun and comprehensive program for walking and biking safely to school that engages and educates students, parents, school administrators, crossing guards and communities. SNAP provided free resources, including mapping software, a 35-minute musical assembly and DVD, student activity booklets and teacher lesson plans, to encourage students to walk and bike safely to school. Robert's leadership instilled ownership for the safety of local schoolchildren and a safety-conscious mindset in the students, parents, principals, law enforcement and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) members who attend and serve these schools.
Zero Fatalities
Long before the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) adopted a goal of Toward Zero Deaths, Robert recognized the importance of setting a zero-based goal. In 2005, he founded Utah's most comprehensive traffic safety program, called Zero Fatalities. This program became the foundation of Utah's Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), addressing the top five behaviors that that resulted in deaths on Utah's roads: drowsy driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, impaired driving and not buckling up. The Zero Fatalities program united the efforts of law enforcement officials, engineers, emergency responders and traffic safety educators. By pooling funds and sharing resources, the group worked together to develop a comprehensive mass media and grassroots outreach program. The team produced presentations and activities designed for one-on-one or small group interactions, as well as TV, radio, print, and online ads to reach the masses.
The Zero Fatalities program has received numerous local and national awards for its creative ads, effective grassroots outreach efforts and overall success. The program gained widespread awareness across the state, with 75 percent of Utahns 18 - 54 recognizing the program. But the ultimate goal of the Zero Fatalities program is to save lives. Since the Zero Fatalities program began and during Robert's tenure, Utah's annual traffic deaths had fallen significantly and the number of fatalities had reached the lowest point in 35 years.
Robert began his 33-year career in transportation engineering with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT). He served in multiple positions and multiple disciplines throughout his UDOT career. His passion is transportation safety and he was able to realize that passion as the Director of Traffic and Safety with UDOT. In this position, Robert was responsible for developing statewide direction, policies, and procedures for all traffic and safety management related programs to improve roadway safety performance. In addition, he was responsible for all engineering standards and specifications related to traffic and safety. He led the initiation of an evidence-based data-driven approach to safety performance. Robert initiated a vision to unite several other safety-minded organizations, forming the Utah Safety Leadership Team and producing Utah's first Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). In addition, he led the development of best management practices in the planning, programming, and implementation of safety programs and projects including the Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program.
Don't Drive Stupid
In
2007, Robert helped launch Don't Drive Stupid, a teen-oriented program comprised of more than a dozen state and county organizations teaching teens the importance of not driving drowsy, distracted, aggressive, impaired and always wearing seat belts - the same messages found in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Forming the Don't Drive Stupid Teen Driving Task Force has created a more powerful, efficient, and repetitive educational outreach program than Utah has ever had. But the Don't Drive Stupid program is much more than a catchy slogan; it impacts teens in a variety of ways. Tactics include websites, interactive presentations, resource guides, educational material, posters, displays, incentives, school activities and other behavior modification tools that best resonate with the teen audience. The message to drive safe is more memorable when teens hear the same message in a variety of ways from a variety of sources.
Managing Travel Demand European Scan Tour
Representing AASHTO, Robert was a member of an international scan tour on travel demand management. The scan team learned that demand for travel can be managed at a number of points in the planning, management, and operations processes and that managing demand to improve travel time reliability necessarily involves enhanced travel choices, including other modes, destinations, route, or time of travel. Demand management is clearly not the only solution to congestion, air pollution, or energy problems, but it provides a broad set of tools for more efficient use of the Nation's transport system and resources.
Joint Task Force on the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) - Member
Starting in 2006, Robert was a member of the AASHTO Joint Task Force (JTF) for the first edition of the HSM. The first edition created a major shift in how safety was considered in the management of transportation system. The JTF was formed with representatives from the AASHTO subcommittees on Design, Traffic Engineering and Safety Management. Over the next three years, the task force examined the HSM to ensure that it would meet the needs of State Departments of Transportation and local agencies. During that time, members of the task force also worked to promote the HSM within their respective subcommittees. In 2009, the AASHTO board of directors approved the HSM for publication. Since the publication of the HSM, significant collaboration has occurred between AASHTO, TRB, and FHWA to advance the implementation of the HSM. Through all those efforts, a series of guidebooks, analysis tools, and procedures have been produced, and many research projects are ongoing.
Land use and safety: an introduction to understanding how land use decisions impact safety of the transportation system
The PIARC Technical Committee (TC 3.1) on National Road Safety Policies and Programs generated this report to explain the relationship between land use and transport planning and the need for determined, thoughtful planning processes to prevent unsafe road conditions from developing. This report informs the reader about the impact of fundamental land use and transportation decisions on the character and safe operations of the transportation system.
National Cooperative Highway Research Program
American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials
Transportation Research Board
NCHRP 08-76 Institutionalizing Safety in Transportation Planning Processes: Techniques, Tactics and Strategies - Panel Chair
The objective of this project was to develop a guide for institutionalizing the continuous integration of safety in transportation planning and programming processes. The guide, Report 811, provided techniques, tactics, and strategies for agencies to use to institutionalize safety as a decision and planning factor, and for coordinating the SHSP with other transportation plans. The guide is useful to state, regional, and local transportation agencies; professional associations; and interest groups in examining how, and how effectively, safety has been integrated into transportation planning processes.
Standing Committee on Transportation Safety Management (ANB10) - Co-chair
From 2009 to 2015, Robert was the co-chair of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Committee on Transportation Safety Management (ANB10). Robert led the Committee on its mission to promote and support research for the advancement of road safety by focusing on cross-cultural, multidisciplinary safety management system improvements throughout the safety decision-making culture. The goal of the Committee was to proactively manage the transportation safety research process and stimulate and disseminate exemplary research to promote a transparent and accountable cross-cultural multidisciplinary transportation safety decision-making process that results in zero deaths and serious injuries on all roadways.
World Road Association (PIARC)
Robert served as the English-speaking secretary for the World Road Association (PIARC) Technical Committee (TC 3.1) on National Road Safety Policies and Programs during the 2012 - 2015 cycle and brings an international road safety perspective with this experience. The United States is a member of the WRA, with the U.S. being represented by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) delegates and by the State Department of Transportation (DOT) representatives, through AASHTO. Since 2011, AASHTO has fulfilled the role of the National Committee for the U.S. and provides a significant opportunity to provide access to the AASHTO member states for this global information.
NCHRP 17-51(04) Development of a National Strategy on Highway Safety: Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) Framework - Panel Chair
The objective of this research was to identify strategies, existing and proposed, to achieve various safety-related goals over an extended period of 25 years. An array of potential strategies was organized into a framework based on the desired safety outcome and the expected rate of success. Via the framework, stakeholders were presented with options for formulating highway safety plans to address national, state, or local levels of activity. Strategies also included new directions for needed research.
NCHRP 17-67 Identification of Factors Contributing to the Decline of Traffic Fatalities in the United States - Panel Chair
The objective of this research was to provide a multidisciplinary analysis of the relative influence of the types of factors that contributed to the recent national decline in the number of highway fatalities and rates in the United States. This research assisted transportation agencies and other safety stakeholders in optimizing resource allocation and strategic decision making to improve safety. The findings of the research are published as NCHRP Special Report 928.
Managing Travel Demand: Applying European Perspectives to U.S. Practice (2006)
This report summarizes the findings of an International Technology Scanning Program scan on managing travel demand. The purpose of the scanning study was to assess European experience in managing the demand for automobile and truck travel through a variety of means, including traveler information, technology, improved modal options, pricing, and new institutional arrangements.
NCHRP Synthesis 20-05/Topic 49-08 Pedestrian Injuries and Fatalities Relative to Traffic Speed - Panel Member
This research is published as NCHRP Synthesis 535.
NCHRP 17-48 Development of a Strategic National Highway Infrastructure Safety Research Agenda - Panel Member
This research is published as NCHRP Report 756.
Standing Committee on Highway Safety Performance (ANB25) - Member
Robert serves as a current member of the Standing Committee on Highway Safety Performance. This Committee deals with the advancement, integration and institutionalization of quantitative highway safety information to support transportation decision-making at all levels. The function of this committee is to foster the continual development, validation and increased knowledge of science-based methods, procedures and measures that will increase the safety of the Nation's highways and roadways.
Committee on Safety* - Region 4 Representative
Robert began his service on the AASHTO Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety in 2010. The Committee objective was to encourage, recommend, and support highway safety programs to reduce highway related crashes with special emphasis on fatalities and serious injuries. In addition, the Committee was responsible for the development and continued updating of the AASHTO SHSP.
*Formerly Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety
Committee on Safety* Task Group - Development and Implementation of the National Strategy on Highway Safety - Toward Zero Deaths Vision - Chair
Robert led the National Strategy Task Group that ultimately led to the adoption of the TZD National Strategy as the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan. The Task Group gathered input from the Safety Management Subcommittee, NCHRP staff and panels, and through interaction with related TRB groups to assist in this effort. The Task Group led efforts to inform other AASHTO groups and committees of the progress on the TZD National Strategy. This Task Group was the lead for guiding implementation of the National Strategy by promoting current "Zero" states' efforts and encouraging all other states to adopt the National Strategy and the Toward Zero Deaths vision.
*Formerly Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety - Subcommittee on Safety Management
STATE LEADERSHIP
Awards and Honors
INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
