How to build a community traffic safety program that lasts
How to use local data, set measurable goals, choose proven strategies and keep it going
Picture a school board meeting a week after a student is hurt in a crash near campus. Parents want action, so the group plans an assembly, prints flyers and holds a candlelight walk. A month later, traffic outside the school looks the same.
That pattern is common. It is not for lack of caring. In 2024, 39,254 people died on U.S. roads, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) reports [8]. Local groups can help lower that number, but good intentions need a plan, proven tools and staying power.
This guide walks through how injury prevention specialists build a program, step by step. It includes a strategy menu with evidence ratings, a 12 month timeline and a one page plan template.
Think like a public health program, not an event planner
Public health programs start with a problem, not an activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes a 4 step public health approach to preventing violence. The logic fits traffic injuries too [1]:
- Define and track the problem. Learn who gets hurt, where, when and how.
- Find risk and protective factors. Learn what raises or lowers the chance of harm.
- Develop and test strategies. Try approaches and check whether they work.
- Spread what works. Help others adopt proven strategies, with training and ongoing evaluation.
CDC’s Program Evaluation Framework, updated in 2024, adds a 6 step cycle for judging results, from understanding the setting to acting on what you learn [2].
Injury prevention specialists also use the Haddon matrix, named for William Haddon Jr. It crosses 3 phases (before, during and after a crash) with 4 factors: the person, the vehicle, the physical environment and the social environment [9]. Carol Runyan, writing in the journal Injury Prevention, added values for choosing among options [9]. They include effectiveness, cost, personal freedom, fairness, stigma, community preferences and feasibility.
Step 1: Define the safety problem with local data
Start with 3 to 5 years of fatal and serious injury crash data. Ask who was hurt, what they were doing, where and when it happened, and what factors were involved. A single bad year can mislead, especially in a small town.
Good sources include your state crash dashboard, police, emergency medical services (EMS) reports, hospital trauma programs and school staff. Add what residents see, such as near misses and crossings that feel unsafe. Our guide to using local crash data to choose community priorities walks through the analysis.
Then check your state’s plans. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posts each state’s highway safety plans and yearly grant applications [7]. A local problem that matches a state priority is often easier to fund.
Finish with a one sentence problem statement. A hypothetical example: “Most teens killed in our county’s crashes from 2020 to 2024 were unbelted, and belt use at our high school lot looks low.”
Step 2: Choose a target population, behavior and place
A program aimed at “all drivers” and “all risks” rarely reaches anyone. Narrow your focus to one group, one behavior and, if possible, one place. Examples include teen drivers at one high school or people walking at night on one main road.
Use the Haddon matrix to brainstorm. The sample below is for teens driving to and from a rural high school.
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| Phase | Person | Vehicle | Physical environment | Social environment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before the crash | Teens know and follow their state’s teen license limits on passengers and night driving | Families choose safer used cars for new drivers | Speed feedback sign and better curve warnings near school | Parent teen driving agreements; parking permits tied to a safety session |
| During the crash | Everyone buckled on every trip | Working air bags and good crash test ratings | Guardrail or cleared roadsides where cars tend to leave the road | Visible belt enforcement makes buckling the norm |
| After the crash | Students practice calling 911 with an exact location | Automatic crash notification, where available | Clear road signs and mile markers for responders | A rural EMS and trauma plan with fast response |
Hypothetical example built by Drive With Care using the Haddon matrix structure [9].
Then apply Runyan’s values to trim the list. Which ideas are effective, affordable, fair and acceptable to the people you serve [9]?
Step 3: Set goals you can measure
A strong goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound, often shortened to SMART. “Make our roads safer” is a wish. A SMART goal names who, what, how much and by when.
Track three levels of measures:
- Process measures show whether you did what you planned, such as enforcement waves held or families reached.
- Short term outcomes show whether behavior changed, such as observed belt use, phone use or speeds.
- Long term outcomes are fewer deaths and serious injuries. Small local numbers swing from year to year, so judge these over several years.
How big a change is realistic? NHTSA’s guide describes a Virginia school program for children ages 8 to 12 that ran activities all school year. Observed belt use rose from 32% to 68% [3]. Steady effort made that possible, not a single day.
Step 4: Choose strategies with evidence behind them
NHTSA’s Countermeasures That Work, now in its 11th edition, rates strategies from 1 to 5 stars [10]. Five stars means several high quality studies found consistent benefits. One or 2 stars means little or no evaluation yet, though the idea fits what is known about behavior [10].
NHTSA encourages using 3- to 5 star strategies and evaluating any 1- or 2 star approach you try [10]. It also stresses that how a strategy is carried out often matters more than which one is picked [10].
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
A sample of strategies and their NHTSA ratings
| Strategy | Problem it targets | NHTSA rating | What a community group can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary enforcement seat belt laws | Unbelted occupants | 5 stars [3] | Share local data with lawmakers |
| Short term, high visibility seat belt enforcement | Unbelted occupants | 5 stars [3] | Publicize police enforcement waves |
| Publicized sobriety checkpoints, where state law allows | Alcohol impaired driving | 5 stars [4] | Publicize checkpoints; promote sober rides home |
| Graduated driver licensing (GDL) | Teen driver crashes | 5 stars [5] | Teach parents the rules; back them with family agreements |
| Speed safety cameras | Speeding | 5 stars [5] | Ask local officials about legal authority; involve residents in placement |
| Dynamic speed feedback signs | Speeding | 5 stars [5] | Request them for school zones and risky curves |
| High visibility cell phone enforcement | Handheld phone use | 4 stars [6] | Pair police waves with local publicity |
| Safe Routes to School | Child pedestrian safety | 3 stars [5] | Map walking routes, report gaps, support walk to school days |
| Programs to help parents of young drivers | Teen driver crashes | 2 stars [5] | Use, but measure results |
| Mass media campaigns on impaired driving | Alcohol impaired driving | 2 stars [4] | Use only alongside enforcement, with paid reach |
| School youth programs on drinking and driving | Teen impaired driving | Unproven; needs evaluation [4] | If used, build into a longer plan and measure behavior |
The top ratings rest on real results. A CDC review of 15 studies found that checkpoints cut alcohol related fatal crashes by 9% [4]. The strongest GDL programs were linked to 38% fewer fatal crashes among 16 year old drivers [5].
For road fixes, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) lists Proven Safety Countermeasures such as roundabouts, lighting, walkways and more visible crosswalks [11]. Two items suit community programs well. In a road safety audit, an independent team studies a road. FHWA reports 10% to 60% fewer total crashes [11]. A local road safety plan sets priorities for fixes on local roads [11].
Step 5: Assign leadership and roles
Programs often stall from unclear ownership, not bad ideas. Before launch, name who leads, who speaks for the effort and who does the daily work.
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| Role | Who often fills it | Main jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Lead agency | Health department, city, school district, hospital or nonprofit | Holds the plan and budget; signs agreements; reports results |
| Champion | Mayor, police chief, principal, physician or faith leader | Opens doors, keeps the issue visible, protects funding |
| Coordinator | A staff member with set weekly hours | Runs the work plan, meetings and deadlines |
| Data lead | Epidemiologist, traffic engineer, university partner or trained volunteer | Pulls crash data, runs observations, tracks measures |
| Core partners | Police, road agency, EMS, schools, employers, faith groups | Deliver strategies in their own lane |
| Community voices | People most affected, including youth and residents of high crash areas | Shape priorities, test messages, judge fairness |
Bring in the people most affected from the start. Federal law requires states to seek input from the communities most affected by crashes when building highway safety plans [7]. Local action plans under USDOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program need a guiding committee and public engagement [12]. Our guide to building a local road safety coalition can help.
Step 6: Build a realistic 12 month work plan and budget
A work plan turns the goal into dates, owners and checkpoints. Keep year 1 modest: one strategy done well beats five done halfway.
The sample below assumes the belt use goal above and a January 2027 start. It times local work around the national Click It or Ticket campaign, whose paid media runs May 17 to June 6, 2027 [13]. NHTSA’s calendar also sets belt observation windows before and after the campaign [13]. It notes that enforcement works best when it starts within days of the media launch [13].
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| Month | Main tasks | Data checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Jan.) | Name lead agency, champion and coordinator; invite partners | Pull 5 years of crash data |
| 2 (Feb.) | First partner meeting; agree on problem and focus; call the state highway safety office | Write the problem statement |
| 3 (Mar.) | Choose strategies; finish the one page plan and budget; apply for funds; plan with police | Pick measures and observation sites |
| 4 (Apr.) | Train student and parent observers | Baseline belt counts in late April, matching the national window (April 19 to May 2) [13] |
| 5 to 6 (May to June) | Launch school publicity just before the national campaign; police enforcement wave; parent outreach | Process log; post counts in the middle of June, matching the national window (June 7 to 17) [13] |
| 7 to 8 (July to Aug.) | Parent teen driving agreements at parking permit sign up; share Labor Day impaired driving messages (paid media August 11 to September 5) [13] | Midpoint review with partners |
| 9 (Sept.) | Back to school belt push with a second police wave; new parking permit rule starts | Process log |
| 10 (Oct.) | Final push before the goal date | Follow up belt counts |
| 11 (Nov.) | Analyze results; ask students, parents and police what worked | Compare with baseline |
| 12 (Dec.) | Report results publicly; decide what to keep, change or drop; budget year 2 | Year end report |
Budget categories to plan for:
- People: coordinator hours, observer training and youth leader stipends.
- Data and evaluation: observer time and help analyzing results.
- Communications: printing, translation and paid ads during enforcement waves.
- Materials: small class rewards and parent agreement kits.
- Partner costs: police overtime, often paid by the agency’s own state grant, and road fixes from the road owner’s budget.
- Contingency: a small reserve.
NHTSA’s guide gives each strategy a rough cost rating. A primary belt law rates as low cost, while high visibility enforcement rates high [3].
Where the money comes from:
- Your State Highway Safety Office (SHSO). Every state has one. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) lists them all [14]. SHSOs receive NHTSA’s Section 402 grants and Section 405 grants for priorities such as seat belts, impaired driving and distracted driving [7]. At least 40% of Section 402 money must be spent by or for local governments [7].
- SS4A grants. USDOT has $5 billion for this program from 2022 through 2026 [12]. Regional planning groups, local governments and federally recognized Tribes can apply [12]. Nonprofits are not on that list, so they partner with an eligible government. Implementation grants can fund behavioral as well as road projects [12]. The 2026 round closed May 26, 2026, so watch for future rounds [12].
- Local sources. Ask community foundations, hospitals, employers and service clubs. A one page plan with measurable goals makes any request stronger.
Bring in the 4 Es: education, engineering, enforcement and emergency response
FHWA describes local road safety planning as engaging the 4 Es: engineering, enforcement, education and emergency medical services [11]. For impaired driving, CDC’s list of recommended strategies includes multipart programs that community coalitions help design and run [15]. Not every program needs all four Es, but each fits certain problems.
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| Partner | Best fit when… | Example community role |
|---|---|---|
| Education | People lack a specific skill, rule or resource, or need to know enforcement is coming | Teach parents their state’s teen license rules; publicize enforcement waves |
| Engineering | Serious crashes cluster on a road, or the design invites speeding | Request a road safety audit; support a local road safety plan |
| Enforcement | A law exists and people choose the risky behavior | Coordinate publicized waves for belts, impaired driving, speed or phones |
| Emergency response | Crashes are severe or help is far away | Share EMS data; teach 911 and bystander skills |
Enforcement and fairness. Enforcement works best when people see it and trust that it is fair. GHSA calls for high visibility enforcement that is data driven and transparent [14]. Its 2021 equity report urged prioritizing enforcement of risky driving behaviors and involving diverse communities in planning [14]. It also recommended collecting race and ethnicity data on traffic stops and expanding automated enforcement. In practice, place enforcement where serious crashes happen, explain why, and review who is stopped.
Emergency response. USDOT’s 2026 National Roadway Safety Strategy reports that about 40% of people who die from crash injuries were alive when first responders arrived [8]. EMS agencies and hospitals belong at the table, especially in rural areas.
Why one time awareness events fade, and how to build follow through
The evidence is consistent: telling people about a risk is rarely enough.
- NHTSA’s guide says communications and outreach by themselves rarely change driving behavior. It adds that fear appeals can backfire, especially with young adults [6].
- School programs such as crash reenactments and impairment goggles are popular, but most have not been evaluated. The few studies suggest they may shift knowledge or attitudes but do little or nothing for behavior [4].
- Stand alone media campaigns are unlikely to work. Public service announcements tend to reach small audiences [4].
Even proven tools fade without repetition. Sobriety checkpoints deter drinking and driving for about a week, so NHTSA’s guide calls for regular checkpoints, ideally weekly [4]. Belt use often drops about 6 percentage points after a short enforcement wave ends [3]. Speeds tend to bounce back soon after a speed feedback sign is removed [5].
How to build follow through:
- Repeat. Plan messages and enforcement in waves, tied to school and national campaign calendars.
- Change policies. A school can tie parking permits to a parent teen agreement. An employer can ban phone use while driving.
- Change the environment. Permanent feedback signs, better crosswalks and lighting keep working after volunteers go home.
- Measure and report. Public results keep partners invested. See our guide to measuring whether a campaign worked.
- Plan year 2 in month 1. Write roles into job descriptions and seek funding for 2 to 3 years.
Messages still matter inside a program. Our guide to traffic safety messages that can change behavior explains what to say.
Your program plan on one page
Fill in this template before you spend money. If a row is blank, that is your next task.
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| Section | What to write | Hypothetical example |
|---|---|---|
| Problem | One sentence, with data source and years | Most teens killed in county crashes in 2020 to 2024 were unbelted |
| Target | Group, behavior and place | Student drivers and passengers at Lincoln High |
| Goal | One SMART goal | Observed belt use from 78% to 88% by October 31, 2027 |
| Strategies | Each with its evidence rating | Publicized belt enforcement (5 stars); parent teen agreements (2 stars, so measure) |
| Leadership | Lead agency, champion, coordinator | Health department leads; principal champions; coordinator 8 hours a week |
| Partners | Who does what | Police: 2 waves; school: permit rule; EMS: 911 skills session |
| Timeline | Key dates | Baseline April; launch May; counts June and October |
| Budget and funding | Categories and sources | State highway safety subgrant; local foundation; donated staff time |
| Measures | Process and outcome | Waves held and families reached; observed belt use |
| Sustainability | What continues after year 1 | Permit rule; yearly counts; line item in the school safety budget |
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a traffic safety program in my community?
Begin with data, not an event. Pull 3 to 5 years of serious crash data and pick one problem you can measure. Then secure a lead agency and a coordinator before planning activities.
Can a nonprofit, school or church get traffic safety grant money?
Often, through the state. SHSOs fund local projects with federal highway safety grants. Each state’s yearly grant application lists the projects and partners it funds [7]. SS4A grants go only to eligible governments such as cities, counties and Tribes, so nonprofits partner with them [12].
Do school assemblies and mock crashes prevent teen crashes?
There is little evidence that they change driving on their own. NHTSA’s guide lists youth drinking and driving programs as unproven. The studies it cites found little or no effect on behavior [4]. If you hold one, make it one piece of a longer program and measure behavior before and after.
How long does it take to see results?
Behavior can shift within weeks. A short seat belt enforcement wave typically lasts about 2 weeks [3]. Crash and injury counts take longer to judge, because small local numbers bounce from year to year. Plan to track results for at least 3 years.
How much does a community traffic safety program cost?
Costs vary with your strategies and what partners donate. NHTSA’s guide rates the rough cost of each strategy, from low cost laws to costly enforcement and paid media [3, 4]. A focused first year can start with a part time coordinator, volunteer observers and a modest grant.
The bottom line
Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Pick one problem you can measure, use strategies with a proven track record, and plan for repetition from day one. An event can open the door, but follow through changes behavior.
Related articles
- How to use local crash data to choose community safety priorities
- Building a local road safety coalition: who to invite and how to lead
- Local crash data and safety maps: how to find and read your area’s data
- Understanding traffic safety data: how to read crash statistics wisely
- Safe System approach: how road design protects you from human mistakes
Sources and further reading
- 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About the Public Health Approach to Violence Prevention. Last reviewed April 9, 2024. cdc.gov/violence-prevention/…/about-the-public-health-approach
- 2Kidder DP, Fierro LA, Luna E, et al. CDC Program Evaluation Framework, 2024. MMWR Recommendations and Reports 73(6):1 to 37. September 26, 2024. cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/rr/rr7306a1.htm; summary page cdc.gov/evaluation/…/evaluation-framework
- 3National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Countermeasures That Work: Seat Belts and Child Restraints (countermeasures table; Short-Term, High-Visibility Seat Belt Law Enforcement; Programs for Older Children). Accessed October 2026. nhtsa.gov/…/seat-belts-and-child-restraints/countermeasures, HVE page, older children page
- 4NHTSA. Countermeasures That Work: Alcohol-Impaired Driving (countermeasures table; Publicized Sobriety Checkpoints; Mass-Media Campaigns; Youth Programs). Accessed October 2026. nhtsa.gov/…/alcohol-impaired-driving/countermeasures, checkpoints, mass media, youth programs
- 5NHTSA. Countermeasures That Work: Young Drivers (including Graduated Driver Licensing), Speeding and Speed Management (including Dynamic Speed Display/Feedback Signs) and Pedestrian Safety countermeasures tables. Accessed October 2026. young drivers, GDL, speeding, feedback signs, pedestrians
- 6NHTSA. Countermeasures That Work: Distracted Driving (countermeasures table; High-Visibility Cell Phone Enforcement; Communications and Outreach). Accessed October 2026. nhtsa.gov/…/distracted-driving/countermeasures, communications and outreach
- 7NHTSA. Highway Safety Grants Program and Highway Safety Plans, Annual Reports and Grant Applications (accessed October 2026); and Uniform Procedures for State Highway Safety Grant Programs, final rule, Federal Register, February 6, 2023. nhtsa.gov/highway-safety-grants-program and federalregister.gov/d/2023-01819
- 8U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). National Roadway Safety Strategy: Safer People. Safer Roads. Safer Vehicles. Posted August 2026. transportation.gov/…/USDOT-National-Roadway-Safety-Strategy-2026.pdf
- 9Runyan CW. Using the Haddon matrix: introducing the third dimension. Injury Prevention 4(4):302 to 307. injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/4/4/302
- 10NHTSA. Countermeasures That Work, 11th edition: About This Guide (star ratings and use of the guide). Accessed October 2026. nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures-that-work/about-guide
- 11Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Proven Safety Countermeasures, including Road Safety Audit (FHWA-SA-21-048) and Local Road Safety Plans (FHWA-SA-21-033). Accessed October 2026. highways.dot.gov/safety/proven-safety-countermeasures
- 12USDOT. Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program (updated May 27, 2026) and SS4A Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Requirements (updated March 27, 2026). transportation.gov/grants/SS4A and transportation.gov/…/action-plan-requirements
- 13NHTSA. Traffic Safety Marketing: Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign pages (2027 planning dates). Accessed October 2026. trafficsafetymarketing.gov/…/click-it-or-ticket and trafficsafetymarketing.gov/…/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over
- 14Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). State Highway Safety Offices directory; Law Enforcement issue page (accessed October 2026); and Sprattler K, Statz L (Kimley-Horn). Equity in Highway Safety Enforcement and Engagement Programs. August 2021. ghsa.org/about/shsos, ghsa.org/state-laws-issues/law-enforcement and report (PDF)
- 15CDC. Strategies to Prevent Alcohol-Impaired Driving. Last reviewed September 15, 2025. cdc.gov/impaired-driving/strategies
This article reflects the priorities of injury prevention, public health practice and community traffic safety programs. It is general education, not legal, engineering or professional advice for any community or individual. Laws, grant programs, evidence ratings and data change, so verify details with official sources such as NHTSA, USDOT and your State Highway Safety Office. Reviewed October 2026.
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