Incorporating Human Factors Guidelines into Transportation Projects, Programs, and Practices

The Human Factors Guidelines (HFG) for road systems serves as a reference to assist practitioners in safety, operations, and design. The HFG aims to develop a greater understanding of road users’ capabilities and limitations and how these issues could be incorporated into transportation agencies' decision-making processes. A fourth edition of the HFG is currently under development as part of the NCHRP Project 22-46. This edition seeks to document the best available human factors and road user interactions research and practices in road safety analyses and design to optimize data-driven safety analysis and decision-making. Although significant efforts have been made to develop the HFG and support its use, many practitioners are not familiar with the guidelines, and even fewer utilize them. As the transportation community continues to work toward zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries, it is necessary to promote widespread use of the HFG so that a data-driven approach on how road users interact with the roadway environment contributes to traffic safety efforts that are underway. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that within the Safe System Approach (SSA), there is a need to create self-enforcing/self-explaining roads. Achieving this will require the integration of vital human factor knowledge into design and operational systems to support the SSA. Research is needed to develop an implementation plan to enhance awareness, promote the use of available resources for implementation, and identify additional needs for the successful deployment of the HFG. The objective of this research is to develop an implementation plan to help incorporate the use of HFG into state departments of transportation’s (DOTs) decision-making process, and support expanding and integrating human factors more thoroughly into transportation projects, programs, and practices. The implementation plan comprises two components: An application handbook, which is designed for state DOT staff, focusing on the integration of the HFG into their day-to-day responsibilities. The document shall include references, real-world case studies, and additional material providing resource needs, benefits, challenges, and other factors to consider when implementing the HFG. A communication, outreach, and marketing plan, which is designed for state DOT subject matter experts to articulate and promote the benefits of the HFG to potential audiences including peers, upper management, other stakeholders, and the general public.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Funding: $450000
  • Contract Numbers:

    Project 20-130

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    National Cooperative Highway Research Program

    Transportation Research Board
    500 Fifth Street, NW
    Washington, DC  United States  20001

    American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

    444 North Capitol Street, NW
    Washington, DC  United States  20001

    Federal Highway Administration

    1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Project Managers:

    Zhao, Yi

  • Start Date: 20240723
  • Expected Completion Date: 0
  • Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01889422
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
  • Contract Numbers: Project 20-130
  • Files: TRB, RIP
  • Created Date: Jul 31 2023 4:26PM