Safety
Prioritize safety throughout your transportation project.
Safety is the U.S. DOT’s highest priority. The U.S. DOT National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) outlines the Department’s approach to significantly reduce serious injuries and deaths on our nation’s roads and ultimately reach the Department’s long-term goal of zero roadway fatalities.
Safety must be considered a project goal from the beginning. Embedding safety objectives and criteria in your federally funded project from the start is critical to successful delivery, operation, and maintenance. Employing successful project delivery practices brings promised safety benefits to the public sooner. The U.S. DOT also encourages the prioritization of worker safety and the safety of all users of the system throughout the life of your transportation project.
Discover successful safety methods and best practices like improving signage, identifying countermeasures, and developing the project design. Learn how incorporating these proven approaches in your transportation infrastructure project delivers safety benefits to the public.
- Compilation of Pedestrian Safety Devices in Use at Grade Crossings (FRA)
- Complete Streets (FHWA)
- Countermeasures that Work (NHTSA)
- Highway-Railway Grade Crossing Action Plan and Project Prioritization (FHWA, FRA)
- Improving Safety for Walking, Biking, and Rolling (U.S. DOT)
- Making Safety Everyone’s Business: Integrate Safety into All Programs and Projects (FHWA)
- Operations and Safety: Making the Connections (FHWA)
- Proven Safety Countermeasures (FHWA)
- Rail Grade Crossing Research (FRA)
- Risk Reduction Program (FRA)
- Vision Zero Community of Practice (FHWA)
Navigate tools and resources from across the U.S. DOT to ensure safety is embedded throughout project development. Explore toolkits, process documents, data and analytics, and other tools to integrate safety in the planning and design of your transportation project. Utilize these resources to help reduce delays and streamline and focus safety benefits where they are needed.
- Improving Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Accessing Transit (FHWA, FTA)
- Improving Safety on Rural Local and Tribal Roads — Safety Toolkit (FHWA)
- Integrating Road Safety into NEPA Analysis (FHWA)
- Continued Operational Safety (FAA)
- Engineering and Management Practices System Safety Management (FAA)
- FAA Safety Data and Research
- FRA Safety Data and Reporting
- National Pipeline Mapping System (PHMSA)
- NHTSA National Center for Statistics and Analysis
- Roadway Safety Data Program Toolbox (FHWA)
- Safety Data Library (BTS)
- The Road Forward: A Safe System Approach to Building a Safety Transportation Network (U.S. DOT)
- Training Options for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Focus States and Planning Organizations (FHWA)
- Transportation Safety Planning (FHWA)
- U.S. DOT Safety Analysis Tools
Ensure a safe workplace throughout the life of your transportation project. Explore helpful resources and understand how to implement and maintain a safe work environment for your project.
- Back2Basics – Staying Safe in the Workplace (FRA)
- Identification of National Work Zone Safety Objectives and Activities: Summary Report (FHWA)
- Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection (FTA)
- Safety in Construction Training (NHI)
- Tips for Operational Safety on Airports During Construction (FAA)
- Worker Safety Training (NHI)
- Work Zone Operations Best Practices Guidebook 3rd Edition (FHWA)
- Work Zone Management Program – Worker Safety (FHWA)
Explore noteworthy safety guidance and training from across the U.S. DOT.
- FAA Safety Team
- Federal Aid Essential Series-Safety (FHWA)
- FTA Safety Guidance
- FTA Safety Rulemaking
- FTA Safety Training
- Guidance-Information: Review of State Geometric Design Procedures or Design Criteria for Resurfacing, Restoration, and Rehabilitation Projects on the National Highway System (FHWA)
- National Public Transportation Safety Plan (2024) (FTA)
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety (FHWA)
- Port Planning and Investment Toolkit (MARAD)
- Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans Frequently Asked Questions (FTA)
- Safety Precautions and Railroad Coordination for Federal-Aid Highway Construction Projects (FHWA, FRA)
- Transportation Safety Institute Course Catalog (TSI)
Looking for more general information on safety? Check out the safety office for the modal administration overseeing your grant.
- U.S. DOT Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy - Safety
- U.S. DOT Transportation Safety Institute
- FAA Office of Aviation Safety
- FHWA Office of Safety
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- FRA Office of Railroad Safety
- FTA Transit Safety and Oversight (TSO)
- MARAD Office of Safety
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- PHMSA Office of Pipeline Safety
- PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Safety
Share Your Safety Resources
Do you have a resource related to safety that you think should be included? Please share here.
Disclaimer: The intention of the resources above is to provide an overview of the tools and information available to help successfully deliver BIL-funded projects. These resources are maintained on the U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence website as a secondary source and do not supersede primary materials issued by each U.S. DOT office. Accordingly, please work directly with the U.S. DOT office of your BIL funding for specific guidance.
