A Guide to Applying the Safe System Approach to Transportation Planning, Design, and Operations

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September 30th, 2025

The Safe System approach is a holistic approach that provides a framework for making the U.S. national transportation system safer. It is based on building and reinforcing multiple layers of protection to prevent crashes from happening and minimize the harm caused when crashes occur. This safety approach differs from conventional ones because it focuses on human vulnerability and creates a system with many redundancies to protect all transportation users.

Read the full report here.