NEW MILESTONE: List of ‘Allies in Action’ Supporting USDOT’s Safety Push Surpasses 100 Members

After launching the comprehensive National Roadway Safety Strategy last year, public organizations, private businesses, research institutions, and more have stepped up in response to USDOT’s call to action to reduce roadway deaths

WASHINGTON–The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced 25 new commitments from organizations and businesses that are supporting the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy by taking action to reverse the crisis that is killing more than 40,000 people on American roads each year. This brings the total number of Allies in Action to more than 100. In another sign of strong interest in advancing road safety from communities, there were also close to 800 applications for funding from USDOT’s new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) competitive grant program, which helps communities plan and construct safer streets. SS4A award announcements are expected later this year.

DOT’s Allies in Action have committed to taking specific, tangible steps to actively reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on America’s roads and streets, expand the adoption of a Safe System Approach and a Zero Fatalities vision across the nation, and transform how we as a nation think about road safety. Allies in Action span multiple sectors and include health and safety advocates, the private sector, municipal and law enforcement organizations, and more.

See the full list of Allies in Action and watch a message from U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg here.

New voluntary commitments from “Allies in Action” include:

NRSS Call to Action Workshop:

Last month, dozens of Allies in Action gathered at USDOT Headquarters in Washington, DC, for a first-ever workshop to share progress, review case studies of notable practices, encourage new commitments, and make connections to meet common safety goals. Among the key areas of discussion: using data to identify opportunities to improve safety, empowering communities, and cross-sector collaboration.

Background:

The Department launched the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) in 2022 in response to the crisis of roadway deaths in America, which had been steadily rising since 2010 before they surged in 2020. In a positive sign, the last four quarters have shown small decreases in traffic fatalities, according to preliminary data.

The NRSS outlines a concrete set of actions the Department has committed to and adopts the five-pronged approach that includes:

The Department won’t achieve zero deaths on our roadways alone, which is why involving stakeholders across the country, at every level of government, philanthropy, advocacy and the private sector, is key.

In the coming months, USDOT will announce the second round of grant awards from the new Safe Streets and Roads for All discretionary grant program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that President Biden signed into law in November 2021. These competitive grants will help cities, counties, Tribes and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) create safety plans, demonstrate effective strategies, and construct safety projects that prevent deaths and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways, from putting in high-visibility crosswalks to redesigning intersections and much more. In the first round of funding, USDOT was able to award funding to 511 projects.

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