TOOL 1
Train Elected Officials and Decision Makers

Long Description.

Theme: Authentic and Holistic Commitment to Safety; Role: Planners, Engineers, Elected Officials; Complexity: Level 1; Scale: Local, Regional, State.

Overview

This tool focuses on training elected officials, agency leaders, and commissioners to understand how their decisions, even indirect ones, may impact roadway safety. Including hands-on experiences like bike rides or walking audits to explore safety tradeoffs in the field can enhance trainings and provide a broader perspective of all road users. Using “train the trainer” programs can expand the reach of training opportunities to even more stakeholders. Several training resources on Safe System Approach (SSA) fundamentals are available for foundational content. Additional tailored training may be useful, such as high-level systems training for leadership and practical field training for staff. Culture of Safety Roadmaps can be developed to show agency employees how their tasks contribute to roadway safety. Including these roadmaps and Safe System principles in new hire training can support consistent understanding across the organization.

Why Is This Important?

This tool is important for institutionalizing SSA planning and programming because elected officials, agency leaders, and commissioners play a critical role in shaping transportation safety, even when their decisions and initiatives may not seem directly related to safety. They set budgets, approve land use plans, set policies and adopt municipal ordinances, make staffing decisions, and influence infrastructure projects, all of which impact roadway safety. Elected officialsʼ and agency leadershipʼs nuanced understanding of the SSA is essential for embedding safety into all aspects of decision making. Their leadership sets the tone for agency culture, guiding staff priorities and fostering a commitment to proactive safety practices.

Description

Training elected officials and other agency decision makers on the SSA is critical as their leadership and policy direction determine how (and if) safety is prioritized within agencies. Training programs can equip them with the knowledge needed to integrate safety into all decision-making processes, which helps ensure safety is not just considered in standalone projects but infused across all areas of governance. These programs can also cover SSA fundamentals on kinetic energy risk, illustrating how different projects, programs, and policies can increase or reduce kinetic energy risk exposure, likelihood, and severity, with examples provided for each

component. In particular, decisions that influence where people travel, why they travel, and by what mode they travel affect exposure to risk in the system, which is then compounded by built environment contexts for conflict points and severity level (number of lanes, type of traffic control, speed, etc.). Decision makers should be aware of how demand management, speed management, conflict management, and collaboration across partners for redundancy (post-crash care, technology, etc.) can influence a safe system. Comprehensive plans, housing elements, circulation elements, impact assessments, evacuation plans, school siting decisions, city fleet choices, and so many other decisions can have a significant influence on safety outcomes, as noted through many of the individual tools in this toolkit.

Going beyond theoretical discussions and including hands-on experiences can make training more effective. Practical exercises such as bike rides and walk audits allow decision makers to observe safety challenges firsthand and discuss tradeoffs in roadway design, operations, and land development. Comprehensive training content can focus on what to do more of as well as what needs to pivot or change to address institutional barriers to safety. Training programs can be tailored to different roles within agencies:

• Leadership Training—Focuses on systems thinking, policy integration, and how safety considerations should inform funding and planning decisions.
• Field Staff Training—Provides practical guidance for those implementing safety measures on the ground.
• Train-the-Trainer Programs—Helps build a network of safety champions within agencies, reducing the burden on staff while supporting continuous knowledge sharing.

Agencies may also consider developing Culture of Safety Roadmaps, similar to organizational charts, that illustrate how each employeeʼs daily work affects roadway safety. These roadmaps can be included in new hire training, such that all employees, from planners to maintenance staff to designers, understand their role in advancing safety goals.

Agencies can leverage existing Safe System training resources to provide foundational knowledge before engaging in more specialized discussions.

Training elected officials on the SSA requires clear emphasis on why change is necessary, particularly the human impact of roadway safety-related decisions. Elected officials respond to data and funding considerations, so training can highlight how safety investments align with broader policy goals, such as economic growth and community well-being.

Recommended in Combination with Other Tools

3. Establish Accountability and Monitoring

5. Engage Community and Media

7. Expand Funding Sources and Allocations for Safety

8. Advance Treatment-Specific Policy and Legislation

Case Studies

Alameda County Transportation Commission Bikeways Academy

The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) Bikeways Academy is a two-year initiative designed to support the implementation of bikeways that are accessible to all ages and abilities across Alameda County, California. The program provides comprehensive training and resources to help local leaders and agency staff overcome barriers to high-quality bikeway implementation.

The Bikeways Academy consists of several key components. Leadership-level workshops are designed to assist government officials in understanding and addressing challenges related to bikeway development. These sessions empower decision makers to be well-equipped to support and advocate for safer, more connected active transportation networks. An example session focused on Multimodal Corridor Planning and Implementation is shown in Figure 1-1. Technical training sessions offer quarterly opportunities for local jurisdictions and agency staff to deepen their understanding of bikeway design fundamentals and phased implementation strategies. In addition to direct training, the Academy also focuses on resource development, producing white papers and other materials that address common challenges in bikeway planning and implementation. These resources support Alameda Countyʼs Countywide Bikeways Network and All Ages and Abilities Policy.

In addition to building peer support for local agency leaders, the program provides capacity building consistent with the policy requirements and funding priorities of the countywide agency. More information is available on the Alameda County Transportation Commission website.

North Carolina Vision Zero Leadership Institute

The North Carolina Vision Zero Leadership Institute is an annual team-based training program that helps North Carolina communities initiate or advance their Vision Zero initiatives, with the ultimate goal of eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Hosted by NC Vision Zero and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Institute provides training tailored to communities at different stages of Vision Zero planning, whether they are just starting, seeking to reinvigorate existing efforts, or focusing on specific implementation strategies.

The Institute promotes multi-sector team collaboration by encouraging communities to form teams of three to five individuals from diverse sectors, such as engineering, public health, land use planning, advocacy, and local government. This multidisciplinary approach promotes Vision Zero strategies developed with broad expertise and stakeholder input. Interactive learning and planning are core features of the program, with expert presentations and facilitated strategic planning sessions. Teams also participate in “team time,” during which they collaborate on actionable steps tailored to their communityʼs unique challenges, with guidance from experienced facilitators. To support participants, the Institute provides comprehensive assistance, with the NC Vision Zero support team and external partners offering expertise in coalition-building, road

Source: Alameda CTC.

Long Description.

There are two photos next to each other in the image. The first photo shows a sidewalk with pedestrians, buildings, and a bus. The second photo shows roadways with vehicles and the road marked ‘ONLY.’

safety best practices, and public health integration. Figure 1-2 provides a high-level overview of the model used by the Institute and the support offered. The program is open to teams from municipalities or regions of any size, making inclusive participation a key feature.

More information on the program is available at the North Carolina Vision Zero Leadership Institute website.

Additional Resources

• Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)—Implementing the Safe System Approach Course: This certificate-based blended learning course provides an in-depth understanding of the SSA and its application. It includes prerecorded modules delivered by subject matter experts and live instructor-led discussion sessions. The course is available for a fee, with registration costs varying based on ITE membership status and access options.
• FHWA—Organizational Safety Culture Self-Assessment Toolkit: This toolkit helps transportation agencies evaluate and strengthen their internal commitment to safety. It provides a structured approach for assessing safety culture maturity and identifying areas for improvement. The toolkit includes a questionnaire that helps agencies measure how safety is integrated into their policies and daily operations. An instruction manual guides facilitators through the assessment process, while an improvement strategies section offers recommendations for addressing gaps. Agencies can use the improvement plan template to develop actionable steps, and a resource list provides additional materials to support ongoing efforts.
• FHWA—Safe System Strategic Plan: This plan provides a roadmap for advancing the SSA in the United States. It focuses on the role of road system owners and operators in applying the SSA

Source: North Carolina Vision Zero Leadership Institute.

Long Description.

The flowchart begins with the following text in white bubbles: Technical assistance on safe systems implementation strategies, coordination of peer learning and tailored resource sharing, systems thinking support for strategic planning, and evaluation and monitoring. Below, the text reads: ‘North Carolina Vision Zero Collaborative Support Model,’ which is further branched into the following text in blue bubbles: peer community touchpoints, annual leadership institute, and ‘NC Vision Zero Statewide Task Force.’ The legend includes blue for activities and white for support cores.

• to design, build, and operate safer roads. The plan reinforces the importance of leadership in institutionalizing the SSA, as it emphasizes systemic thinking and shared responsibility and focuses on building institutional capacity for the SSA.
• Kumfer et al.—NCHRP Web-Only Document 382: Traffic Safety Culture: Conduct of Research Report: This report serves as a comprehensive guide for researchers and practitioners aiming to advance traffic safety culture. It delves into the multifaceted nature of traffic safety culture, encompassing various sociological and philosophical concepts related to transportation safety. It offers a structured framework for conducting research in this domain, emphasizing the importance of a systemic approach to achieving meaningful safety outcomes. By providing detailed methodologies and insights, the report facilitates the development of effective strategies that can lead to a transformative shift in traffic safety culture.
• America Walks—Walking College: The Walking College is a model for educating elected leaders, providing them with the knowledge and tools to advocate for safer transportation systems within their jurisdictions. The program offers a structured, virtual fellowship that includes webinars, mentoring, and community-based learning projects to build participantsʼ skills in walkability and pedestrian safety. Many alumni go on to lead local initiatives, such as Walking Action Plans.

References

Alameda County Transportation Commission. Bikeways Academy. Accessed June 17, 2025. www.alamedactc.org/planning/active-transportation/bikeways-academy/

America Walks. Walking College. Accessed June 17, 2025. https://americawalks.org/programs/walking-college/

FHWA. Organizational Safety Culture Self-Assessment Toolkit. Accessed January 2025. https://highways.dot.gov/safety/zero-deaths/organizational-safety-culture-self-assessment-toolkit

FHWA. Safe System Strategic Plan. 2024. Accessed January 2025. https://trafficsafetyteam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/zerodeaths-FHWA-SA-21-088_Safe_System_Strategic_Plan.pdf

ITE. Implementing the Safe System Approach Course. Accessed June 17, 2025. https://www.ite.org/professional-and-career-development/learning-hub/implementing-the-safe-system-approach-course/

Kumfer, Wesley, Seth LaJeunesse, Stephen Heiny, Alyson West, Jonathon Weisenfeld, Jay Otto, Nicholas Ward, Katherine Dively, Bridget Hanson, Carolyn McAndrews, Steven Lavrenz, Gwyn Kash, and Charles T. Brown. NCHRP Web-Only Document 382: Traffic Safety Culture: Conduct of Research Report. Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC. 2024. https://doi.org/10.17226/27489

North Carolina Vision Zero. Vision Zero Leadership Institute. Accessed June 17, 2025. https://ncvisionzero.org/leadership-institute/