The state of Nevada and the Nevada Department of Transportation were recently recognized for life-saving traffic safety initiatives.
NDOT Senior Safety Engineer Jaime Tuddao received the President’s Award for highway traffic safety from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The award recognizes Tuddao for administering the Strategic Highway Safety Plan, road safety audits and a public outreach campaign to help Nevada move closer to its zero fatalities traffic safety goal.
The state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan outlines more than 85 strategies for increasing pedestrian and intersection safety and reducing impaired, unbelted and lane crossover deaths and injuries. Following adoption of the plan in 2006, traffic deaths declined from 432 in 2006 to 257 in 2010. With Tuddao’s administrative oversight, the plan was updated in 2011 to include an ambitious zero fatalities traffic safety goal.
The zero fatalities goal includes a public outreach campaign administered by Tuddao. Using television and radio announcements, billboards, on-line and one-on-one traffic safety education and more, the campaign has reached more than 85 percent of urban Nevadans. Approximately that same amount of Nevadans report that they now understand such behaviors as driving while distracted to be unsafe, thanks in part to the campaign.
Tuddao also manages NDOT’s road safety audit program, which brings teams of three or more experts together to suggest road safety improvements, such as installing rumble strips, flattening slopes and more. To date, nearly 75 percent of the safety enhancements recommended by the road safety audits are considered; saving lives and improving transportation across the state.
“It’s about saving lives,” Tuddao explained. “There are so many agencies, groups and individuals across the state that are so dedicated and work every day to save lives on our roads. I am honored just to be recognized as one part in all that is being done to keep us all safer behind the wheel.”
The President’s Transportation Awards are annual awards given by AASHTO to recognize individuals, programs or teams for improving environmental conditions, utilizing technology, implementing excellent executive management skills, increasing efficiencies and making effective use of taxpayer dollars.
More information on driving safety and the state’s zero fatalities goal is available at www.zerofatalitiesnv.com
