National Highway Safety Report and You
A rigorous, relevant, research focused, problem based, learning project.

"Highway fatalities are the number 1 cause of death for children, teens and young adults." Deborah Hersman, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman 2010.

The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety released a report about safe driving in January 2010. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, safety and insurance organizations founded in 1989

The Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety presentation on CSPAN - Online Video

Evaluate an issue of highway or driving safety in your state or locality.

Select an issue covered in the report.

Gather data from your local or state transportation departments.

Include: Your state's traffic fatalities statistics and your county's highway fatalities.

Using criteria - Grade yourself, your community and your state on the issue. Explain your grades.

-Tip: A Semantic Feature Analysis chart can help you arrive at the grades. It will also provide a visual presentation of your findings.

 

Survey your classmates or members of the community regarding the issue.

Develop a set of at least 3 questions to ask people related to the issue.

Do they support the solution offered in the Advocates report? If not, what is their alternative?

Add 2 demographics to your data collection. (examples: gender, age in a range, vehicle ownership)

 

Create a spreadsheet to generate charts that show the data

Create two charts that reflect the data you have collected.

What are your findings?

Online Resources:

- Need help with percentages? MathFlix free math Videos | Khan Academy free math videos)

- Google Docs provides free spreadsheet, word processing and presentation software.

- Use the free, Kidzone Create a Graph website provided by the National Center for Education Statistics

 

Consider - How does this issue impact you, your family or your community?

What change(s) will you make to address the problem?

What change(s) do you recommend local or state officials make?

Be specific - To what groups should the regulations or laws apply?

What change(s) do you recommend device manufacturers to address the issue?

 

Do something about it

- Develop a plan of action to address the problem. Include S.M.A.R.T goals

 

Done already? Journey farther exploring other transporation related issues:

Rank your priorities for the highway issues covered in the report.

- Are there other transportation safety concerns you can add to the list?

- Use Intel's free Visual Ranking tool

Careers in transportation - Many careers interface with transportation issues.

Identify 2 jobs related to transportation. US Department of Labor's Occupation Outlook Handbook.

Which do you believe has the greater potential for proving a long term, living wage?

What kind of training is needed for that job/career?

What are the positives and negatives of that career? (Stability, advancement, income/benefits)

Cars - Event recording device - privacy, safety & justice

Evaluate Transportation in your community - a problem based learning activity

DEFICIENT BRIDGES VERSUS EARMARKS - which is a higher priority?

Earmarks, Pork and the Federal Budget | Government Spending - Earmarks

Gas and Diesel Taxes | How Clean is the Air in Your Community? | Community Projects and School Projects

How do you spend your time? | How are the Funding Decisions Made?

Pennsylvania Energy and Global Warming - Look into it | Global Warming and Climate Change

Use a Digital Answer Format : Highlight the text of the questions on this web page, copy them - Edit .. Copy. Open a text document or word processing document. Paste the questions into the blank document. Answer the questions in the word processing document in a contrasting color (not yellow)or font ( avoid fancy fonts like: , Symbol, or . Save frequently as you work. I do not like losing my work. You will not like it either. Put your name and the date in a header. Bad things happen. Retain a copy of your work on your computer.

Proof your responses. It is funny how speling errors and typeos sneak in to the bets work. Make Your Own Printed answer sheet.

Aligned with Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology, Science and Technology, Careers, Civics and Government, Reading Writing, Speaking. National Educational Technology Standards for Students