Safety

A group of people wearing safety vests, meeting on the side of a park road to discuss Transportation Safety

NPS Photo

National Park Service Transportation Safety Program

Overview


The National Park Service Transportation Safety Program (TSP) is a multidisciplinary, decentralized, and coordinated effort guided by an executive committee to reduce the number and severity of traffic crashes by ensuring that opportunities to improve roadway safety are identified, considered, implemented, and evaluated, as appropriate, during all phases of highway planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance.

The TSP is responsible for the administration of the Transportation Safety Management System (TSMS) required under 23 USC 201(c)(5), 23 USC 203 (b)(2)(B)(III), and 23 CFR 970. The TSP includes the TSMS, as well as the people and processes throughout NPS related to the implementation of transportation safety countermeasures, operation of facilities, and maintenance of transportation infrastructure. Anyone at the National Park Service who finds themselves working to eliminate transportation related fatalities and serious injuries is considered part of the TSP.

Laws and Regulations

The following United States Code (USC) and Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) references guide the NPS transportation safety program:

Data Systems and Crash Report Information

Department of Interior’s Incident Management, Analysis and Reporting System (IMARS) is the current system of record for all NPS law enforcement incident reports, including crash reports recorded in the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) compliant crash module. The NPS PFMD Transportation Branch manages a crash database called Crash Data System (CDS) that stores only non-personally identifiable information from crash reports for analysis and transportation performance management purposes, populated from a query of the IMARS database and from crash report data pre-dating IMARS. Non-personally identifiable information from crash reports and other transportation safety related information can be accessed through the NPS Navigator.

The NPS Public Risk Management Program (PRMP) analyzes mortality data to identify trends, leading causes of death, and high-risk populations, including mortality data related to motor vehicle crashes, to guide and prioritize national level injury prevention efforts. NPS Mortality Dashboards providing synopses of death statistics reported in the NPS are made available on the NPS PRMP website.
Graphic symbol of 4 E's of safety: Education, Emergency Response, Engineering, Enforcement

Transportation Safety

FEDERAL LANDS TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FACT SHEET

Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of unintentional fatal injuries in the National Park Service. On average, one person dies every week on NPS roadways. The key to improving long-term roadway safety lies in reducing crashes using data-driven and evidence-based strategies.

Showing results 1-6 of 6

  • Motorcycle Safety

    • Type: Article
  • Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

    Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Traffic and Safety Assessment

    • Type: News
    • Locations: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
    • Date Released: 2023-03-16

    he National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input on draft conceptual alternatives for the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (KEMO) Traffic and Safety Assessment. The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate traffic conditions at five park trail crossings and to recommend potential countermeasures that would improve traffic safety and operations for all types of road and trail users at these crossing locations.

  • Colorado National Monument

    Fatal Crash at Colorado National Monument

    • Type: News
    • Locations: Colorado National Monument
    • Date Released: 2021-01-12

    At approximately 11:45 a.m. on January 11th rangers were notified of a motor vehicle crash that occurred on the east hill of Colorado National Monument.

  • Ozark National Scenic Riverways

    National Park Service announces results of local traffic safety campaign

    • Type: News
    • Locations: Ozark National Scenic Riverways
    • Date Released: 2020-09-17
    Ozark Law Enforcement Officers standing in uniforms in front of patrol vehicle

    Between August 21 and September 7 the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration sponsored the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign to reduce incidents of impaired driving leading up to and including Labor Day weekend.

  • Slow Down. Enjoy the View. Watch the Road.

    • Type: Article
    Road with yellow double center line, & trees, snowy mountains, & blue sky in the distance.

    Come and drive our parks! Whether you are enjoying the fall foliage in Blue Ridge Parkway, taking in the breathtaking scenery of Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, or watching the sunrise from Summit Road in Acadia National Park, you should always be aware of your surroundings and drive safely.

  • Crescent Crater Military Plane Crash

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Lassen Volcanic National Park
    • Offices: History, Park History Program
    Black and white photograph of airplane wreckage on hillside

    Friends and family honor the eight servicemen who lost their lives in a military plane crash on Crescent Crater in Lassen Volcanic National Park in 1951.

Tags: road safety audits traffic and safety traffic safety coalition transportation safety crash crash data imars roadway safety
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Last updated: September 4, 2024

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