usRAP: A New Tool for Road Safety Management

Roadway crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. Yet, little information on crash risks is readily available to travelers and highway planners. Raising public awareness of these risks is one of the primary objectives of the U.S. Road Assessment Program (usRAP) pilot program, initiated in 2004 by the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS). 

The objectives of the usRAP pilot program are to assess crash risk on U.S. roads and provide that information to the public and to highway agencies in accessible formats. Crash-risk information can help roadway users make informed driving decisions and help agencies make strategic decisions about route standards and roadway improvements and countermeasures. The overall goal of usRAP is to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes in the United States.