Community-centered traffic safety (National Academies)
Traffic Safety Pulse News
"Community-centered Traffic Safety" is an innovative research project focused on addressing the complex issue of traffic safety through a multifaceted and community-focused approach. Recognizing the limitations of traditional one-size-fits-all solutions, the project aims to explore and mitigate traffic safety issues by taking into account the diverse socio-cultural, economic, and infrastructural factors that affect different communities. The project consists of four research thrusts: evaluating the effectiveness of current citation fine structures across different socio-economic groups, creating culturally sensitive safety messages, developing a crowdsourced app for community-specific safety concerns, and analyzing pedestrian crashes near transit stops to determine contributing factors. This comprehensive approach involves collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and interdisciplinary student participation from Engineering, Planning, and Public Policy departments. The project aims to provide actionable insights and tailored solutions by engaging with local communities, conducting surveys, focus groups, and observational studies, and utilizing the UMassSafe Crash Data Warehouse for data analysis. The expected outcomes include an updated fine structure proposal, culturally-tailored traffic safety campaigns, and a crowdsourced app prototype, all aimed at fostering community engagement and long-term systemic changes in traffic safety policies. The project emphasizes student involvement in data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and app testing, offering valuable research experience and contributing to the broader goal of creating safer and more inclusive community environments.
