Recent Regional Highway Safety Forum a Success
- Details
On May 12, 2014, Chip Sterns, Town Manager, Rockingham, welcomed 50 attendees to the Rockingham Town Hall and the first Regional Highway Safety Forum in the Windham region. The all day event was presented by the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance (http://highwaysafety.vermont.gov/ ) and hosted by WRC and Southern Windsor County RPC. It provided an opportunity to learn about the resources and partners available to individuals and communities as they strive towards safety for all highway users.
Over half of the motor vehicle crashes that occur in Vermont each year take place on town roads. The Mission of the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance is to reduce crashes across the State on all roadways by collaborating with outside resources, and education of the public through the Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
After the welcoming remarks, Stephen Barrett, Public Works Director of Brattleboro spoke to the steps that Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee has taken in response the recent rise in pedestrian fatalities. The event addressed the four E’s of highway safety: Education, Enforcement, Engineering and Emergency Services. Presenters from VTrans, VT Highway Safety Alliance, VT Local Roads, Youth Safety Council of VT, DMV, VT Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition, AARP, VT State Police, VT Department of Health, and Child Passenger Safety Program all spoke to issues surrounding highway safety and ways that crashes can be prevented.
The Forum addressed local concerns as well through five case studies. These case studies were located in Springfield, Dover, Guilford, and Saxtons River. After the four E’s were discussed, the attendees broke out into 5 groups which explored how the specific case study was impacted by the four E’s. At the end of the day, each group provided a brief summary of how the four E’s related to each of the case study.
Based on the feedback, the Forum was a success! For more information please call Matt Mann (802) 257-4547 x120.
