Directions in Highway Safety: Spring 2025 Issue

Teen Driving Safety

Thankfully, we’re seeing notable progress in addressing dangerous driving and making U.S. roads safer. While many of the numbers have been moving in the right direction the past two years – such as fewer overall fatalities and higher seat belt use rates – there are still some alarming trends in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) release of detailed 2023 safety data. Let’s explore one: teen driver safety.

⚠️ In 2023, there were 5,588 people killed in crashes involving a young driver, up 4.2% from 2022 and one of the few categories to see a year-over-year increase. For comparison, total roadway fatalities fell 4.3% during the same period.

📈 These young driver-involved roadway deaths have risen a shocking 27% from 2019. While there has been tremendous progress in novice driver safety over the past two decades, as we’ve outlined in a detailed report, this new data shows that we still face a difficult path to zero fatalities.

🏖️ GHSA is working with our members and partners to address dangerous driving and make our roads safer for everyone. As we gear up for the “100 deadliest days of summer” (the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when there is historically a spike in traffic deaths, particularly those involving teen drivers), we’re bringing together allies to make the summer as safe as possible. Together, we’re providing teens with advanced driver instruction, assisting law enforcement in identifying impaired drivers and supporting innovative distracted driving prevention programs.

🦺 The National Road Safety Foundation is partnering with GHSA and around two dozen other traffic safety organizations to make this summer "the 100 Safest Days." A national media and social media campaign will call attention to a range of safe driving issues, including distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving and seat belt use. Learn more in the news release.

2025 Annual Meeting

With less than 100 days to go, planning for the GHSA 2025 Annual Meeting is heating up! Here are a few of the exciting things we’ve got cooking in the city of champions.

🟠 Our lineup of speakers is sizzling! Hear from history-making Air Force pilot Nicole Malachowski and AAA President and CEO Gene Boehm, as well as top safety and telematics executives from Google, Uber, Nationwide, Cambridge Mobile Telematics, Michelin Mobility Intelligence and more.

🟠 We’re baking in plenty of opportunities for you to network and celebrate, including an opening dinner and reception sponsored by Mindr at Howl at the Moon and our always popular Taste of the State sponsored by Uber at Acrisure Stadium.

🟠 See first-hand the safety innovations bubbling up in the city, with a variety of “walkshops” and a visit to automated vehicle manufacturer Aurora’s headquarters.

🟠 Already sold out, this year’s Exhibit Space is red-hot! Browse the offerings from more than 40 vendors and partners to find your next great resource.

Register today to join us in the Steel City and help us make this year’s Annual Meeting a scorching success.

Federal News

There has been a bevy of federal activity in Washington, D.C. over the past few months. Here are some highlights.

✂️ GHSA Calls for Reducing Regulatory Burdens for SHSOs: GHSA submitted comments in early May to a request for information from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on ways to reduce the regulatory and administrative burden associated with NHTSA’s highway safety grants. GHSA highlighted the challenges SHSOs have faced with increased administrative grant requirements diverting resources from the implementation of safety initiatives. We also identified Section 402 and 405 program regulations that have expanded beyond their statutory authority such as the requirements for public participation and engagement, local expenditure and law enforcement community collaboration.

🏛️ Federal Advocacy: GHSA has held several meetings with the new political leadership at U.S. DOT and NHTSA to discuss the value of the behavioral traffic safety programs and explore ways that the agency can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of NHTSA’s administration of the highway safety grants. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has touted the importance of safety and supporting innovation.

📣 Chair Mike Hanson Testifies at Congressional Hearing: GHSA Chair Mike Hanson testified on Capitol Hill earlier this year during a three-hour hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. Hanson highlighted the state of U.S. roadway safety, what’s working and what’s not, and educated members of the subcommittee about the vital role that State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) play in making our roads safer. Hanson advocated for easing administrative burden; promoting flexibility, innovation, and technology; the importance of traffic enforcement; and the key issue of impaired driving.

Promoting Youth Roadway Safety

For the fourth straight year, GHSA and the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) are funding community-based projects and programs to keep youth safe while walking, biking or riding scooters. Since 2022, GHSA and NRSF have provided a total of $350,000 to support projects and initiatives that make streets safer for the youngest road users.

These new grants of $25,000 each will help three states amplify their youth traffic safety efforts. Missouri will host at least 10 traffic safety gardens at rural or high-priority elementary schools. Oregon will purchase helmets, bicycles and safety materials for low-income schools. And Washington will develop a permanent traffic garden, a mobile pop-up traffic garden and traffic safety curriculum. For more details, check out the press release.

Safety Roundup

• Post-Crash Care Webinar 5/28: Did you know that 42% of people who die in crashes are alive when first responders arrive? Join us on May 28 to learn how new partnerships and programs addressing post-crash care can help us do much more to save lives on our nation’s roads, and the new opportunities available as states put together their Annual Grant Applications for federal funding. Come away with actionable strategies and resources to help move the needle and save more crash victims. Sign up today to join the more than 300 people who have already registered for this important webinar.
• Raising a Distraction-Free, Safer Generation: GHSA and State Farm® developed GenerationDistractionFree.org to provide resources to help parents, caregivers, health/PE teachers, driver education instructors – and anyone dealing with youth – build a culture where focusing on the road is the norm, not the exception. We owe it to our kids to teach them how important it is to be aware of their surroundings and stay off screens, whether driving, biking, walking or scooting. GHSA encourages states and partners to check out this tool and help us spread the word. We especially suggest states circulate it among child passenger safety technicians, who are in a unique position to educate new parents.
• Uber Amps Up Offerings for Seniors: Uber has announced a new feature to help older users get where they need to go safely. A new, streamlined version of their app features larger text, easier ways to save frequent destinations and fewer home screen distractions. This new senior account option debuted in Orlando and Phoenix, but Uber expects to roll it out in other locations soon.
• States Strike Back on Super Speeders: New York is considering allowing judges to order intelligent speed assistance (ISA) devices installed in vehicles of drivers convicted of driving over 100 miles per hour. The bill calls for ISA devices that would prevent vehicles from traveling more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia have all passed similar legislation. Learn more.
• Colorado Touts Tough New Move Over Law: Colorado’s “Move Over” law, among the strongest in the nation, requires drivers to slow down and move over for any vehicle pulled over with its hazard lights flashing, not just emergency responders. To spread the word, the Colorado Department of Transportation and AAA produced a robust Move Over Law Toolkit. In addition to articles and social media posts, the toolkit also contains links to download digital images and video content.'
• Speed Cams at Work in Work Zones in Pennsylvania: A new Federal Highway Administration case study presents lessons learned from Pennsylvania’s work zone Speed Safety Cameras pilot program. The report is designed to help other agencies as they consider deploying speed safety camera programs.
• $1 Million for Advanced Traffic Analytics: Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) is providing $1 million for a demonstration project that will enable Traffic Records Coordinating Committees to use predictive risk analytics with to develop more effective safety measures. All Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals members are eligible to apply for funding. Awardees will use CMT’s new road safety platform to analyze roadway risks and crash-prone locations.
• Crafting Cannabis Impairment Messages: The AAA Foundation on Traffic Safety interviewed cannabis users to find out which messages would be most likely to prevent users from driving high. In its 2022 study conducted with Responsibilty.org and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving, GHSA emphasized the importance of using language that would resonate with cannabis consumers and avoiding unflattering or alienating stereotypes.

New SHSO Staff

• The Tennessee Highway Safety Office has hired Helena Williams as Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Coordinator. She’s the Statewide DRE/Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) Statewide Coordinator and is responsible for overseeing the 293 DREs in Tennessee and DRE/ARIDE training.
• Nicole Hassenstab joined the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau as the Media & Communications Specialist. Nicole leads the Bureau's overall strategic communications plans directed towards traffic safety and serves as the public information point of contact.
• Tracy Johnson joined the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety last July after nearly 30 years as a teacher, coach, and technology integrator. Most of Tracy’s experience as an educator was at the high school level, which complements her new role as manager of the Maine young driver program.
• Karrie Cormier joined the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety in January as a Highway Safety Coordinator. She is the program manager for Distracted Driving, and she is also involved in coordinating the PP&E efforts of our state and formulating the Annual Grant Applications, Annual Reports, and Triennial Highway Safety Plans.
• John Roma joined the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety in May 2025 after retiring from the Brunswick Police Dept, where he worked for over 21 years. Throughout his career, he was active in impaired driving programs, both through enforcement and as an instructor at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. At the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, he will continue to be involved with impaired driving programs.
• Brigid Anderson-Snipe recently joined the District of Columbia Highway Safety Office as the Special Assistant for Traffic Records & Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC) Manager. She will serve as the chief connector of Safe System related data, systems, and strategies to improve the accuracy, timeliness, and collaboration among data-partners in the District. As Chair of the TRCC, she is leading efforts related to the SEDC project and serves as the technical advisor for fostering collaboration among the systems and people who are the data guardians for D.C.
• Perri Storey joins the District of Columbia Highway Safety Office as the Special Assistant for Innovation and Evaluation. Perri serves as the new Innovation and Evaluation Special Assistant for the D.C. Highway Safety Office. In this role, Perri provides technical assistance to grantees in partners in evaluating their outreach and grant efforts. She'll also lead the charge in exploring promising practices that can change the culture towards safety in the District.
• Joe Jones is the new Assistant State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation. His duties include setting division direction and achieving MoDOT’s mission, values, and tangible results. He also oversees Missouri’s highway safety program and directs special traffic engineering projects.
• Scott Jones is the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Program Administrator. In this capacity, he manages the NHTSA grant program from application to award, including planning, budgeting, promotion, implementation, and monitoring. He directly supervises the individual grant managers and ensures program compliance.
• Bill Russell is a Law Enforcement Liaison who started working with California Office of Traffic Safety in July 2024. In his role, Bill will provide technical assistance to OTS grantees and promote partnerships with law enforcement agencies primarily in Southern California. He will also serve as a bridge between OTS and law enforcement agencies.
• Moriah Martinez started working with the California Office of Traffic Safety last July as a grant coordinator in the Program Planning and Grant Operations Division. She manages a variety of grants in multiple program areas. This includes the impairment program, emergency medical services and some of the statewide programs. In this role she reviews the grant applications, develops the grants and monitors grant activities.
• Samantha DeMelo was promoted in September 2024 to Public Affairs Manager in the Communications and Public Affairs Division at the California Office of Traffic Safety. She oversees staff, along with the OTS outreach and public participation and engagement efforts.
• Ruby Leung started working with the California Office of Traffic Safety last September as a grant coordinator in the Program Planning and Grant Operations Division. She manages a variety of grants in multiple program areas. This includes the police traffic services program, motorcycle safety programs, traffic records, and some of the pedestrian and bicycle safety programs. In this role she reviews the grant applications, develops the grants and monitors grant activities.
• Marcie Palomares was promoted to Senior Accounting Officer in the California Office of Traffic Safety Fiscal Unit last October. Marcie serves the Fiscal Unit overseeing critical business functions and essential OTS account services that keep our life-saving programs running smoothly.
• Ginger Estopare started working with the California Office of Traffic Safety in December 2024 as a Grant Operations Manager in the Program Planning and Grant Operations Division. She oversees a unit of grant coordinators who manage a variety of grants. This includes the police traffic services program, motorcycle safety programs, traffic records, and some of the pedestrian and bicycle safety programs.

Has a new staff member joined your team? We’d love to feature them in the next issue of Directions! Email Kerry Chausmer their name, job title, LinkedIn page (if they have one) and a brief description of their responsibilities.

This edition of Directions in Highway Safety is brought to you by MADD: Mothers Against Drunk Driving ®.

Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, MADD is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 400,000 lives, and reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent. MADD also promotes personal responsibility and encourages designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders, and advanced vehicle technology. MADD remains committed to ending drunk and drugged driving and looks forward to a day with No More Victims®.

Find out how you can sponsor the next Directions.