A new report concludes that a $146 billion investment in road infrastructure could potentially save 63,700 lives over a 20-year period.
by Staff
May 5, 2017
Graphic courtesy of AAA.
2 min to read
Graphic courtesy of AAA.
A $146 billion investment in U.S. roadway improvements could potentially save 63,700 lives and prevent 353,560 serious injuries over a 20-year period, according to a new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
AAA is urging the Trump Administration to make repairing and maintaining America’s roadways a top priority. In making its case for funding such improvements, the report cites data indicating that the U.S. lags behind other developed nations in the prevention of deadly crashes. Road fatalities in the nation climbed 7% in 2015 and were on pace for a similar increase in 2016.
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“We can save tens of thousands of lives and make our roadways safer by investing in improvements that we already know exist,” said Dr. David Yang, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety executive director. “Now is the time to act by targeting limited resources where they will have the greatest impact.”
Highway infrastructure improvements can reduce both the likelihood and the consequences of crashes, the report stresses.
The report recommends investing $146 billion in six cost-effective improvements that already have a successful track record:
Converting key intersections into roundabouts
Installing roadside barriers and clear roadside objects
Adding sidewalks and signalized pedestrian crossings on the majority of roads
Installing median barriers on divided highways
Installing shoulder and centerline rumble strips
Paving and widening shoulders.
“We must invest in infrastructure improvements that not only account for today’s needs, but also prioritize needs for the future, including the potentially lifesaving technology of autonomous vehicles,” said AAA President and CEO Marshall L. Doney.
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