The Clearinghouse for Older Road User Safety (ChORUS) is a project of the Roadway Safety Foundation, a non-profit located in Washington, DC. Support is provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with additional development and guidance supplied by New Editions Consulting Inc. and a panel of subject matter experts.
ChORUS serves as a centralized, user-friendly, and dynamic source of information pertaining to highway safety for aging drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Built as a comprehensive resource, it covers all three major components of highway safety: safe roadways, safe road users, and safe vehicles.
Safe Roadways
Communities across the country can realize tremendous safety gains by implementing proven and cost-effective design features and crash countermeasures on their roads. For example,
- Retroreflective signage helps older drivers navigate at night
- High-visibility crosswalks enable drivers to more easily see pedestrians
- Left-turn lanes improve sight distance at intersections and prevent deadly right-angle crashes
Infrastructure solutions are integral to enhance safety for the aging road user. ChORUS, therefore, provides quick and easy access to design guidelines for the aging population, technical documents, case studies and success stories, and information about innovative financing solutions.
Safe Road Users
Whether traveling by private automobile, public transit, bicycle, motorcycle, or foot, all of us share the same goal of getting to our destination safely and efficiently. While older drivers exhibit some of the highest rates of seatbelt usage and lowest rates of distracted or impaired driving, there are additional strategies to decrease risk. ChORUS includes a wealth of information designed to support aging drivers, from self-assessments and links to refresher courses, to state-specific licensing information. Recognizing that driving is not an option in all cases, ChORUS also promotes safe cycling and walking, provides support for families and caregivers concerned about their loved ones, and highlights alternative transportation options that may be available.
Safe Vehicles
Crash survival and recovers is more difficult for aging drivers. As such, this is a group that especially stands to benefit from vehicle safety technologies — both emerging (such as forward collision mitigation) and familiar (such as well-designed crumple zones). ChORUS promotes safer vehicles for seniors by featuring a range of consumer-friendly information, which includes education on how to interpret safety and crash ratings, overviews of cutting-edge technologies, simple tips on helpful vehicle features (such as wider mirrors). ChORUS also includes a wealth of resources for researchers, engineers, industry, media, and others who help advance vehicle safety.
ChORUS is managed by a diverse group of organizations with input from a panel of subject matter experts and review by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Our partners include:
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is an agency within DOT that partners with and supports state and local governments in the design, construction, and maintenance of the nation’s highway system (Federal Aid Highway Program) and various federally and tribal-owned lands (Federal Lands Highway Program). Through financial and technical assistance to state and local governments, FHWA is responsible for ensuring that America’s roads and highways continue to be among the safest and most technologically sound in the world. FHWA, through a cooperative agreement with the Roadway Safety Foundation, provides input on ChORUS content, tools, and programs related to safer road designs and best practices for improving community safety through infrastructure enhancements.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 and is dedicated to achieving the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety. NHTSA works daily to help prevent crashes and their attendant costs, both human and financial. Through a contract with New Editions Consulting, NHTSA is responsible for ChORUS information and resources pertaining to its areas of expertise, notably driver behavior initiatives and motor vehicle safety.
Roadway Safety Foundation
The Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational and charitable organization chartered in 1995 by the American Highway Users Alliance. Its mission is to reduce the frequency and severity of motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities through improvements to roadway systems and their environments. The physical characteristics of America’s roadways can be improved through design and engineering, operating conditions, removal of roadside hazards, and the effective use of safety features. RSF works by building awareness through media campaigns and outreach activities, developing educational materials, and forming roadway safety partnerships between the private and public sectors. RSF, through a cooperative agreement with FHWA, is responsible for developing and maintaining the sections of ChORUS that pertain to safe road designs and infrastructure improvements.
New Editions Consulting Inc.
New Editions Consulting Inc. (New Editions), a woman-owned, small business, specializes in professional consulting services, including government clearinghouses. Our focus areas include: disability policy and research, health services, aging, workforce development, international development, education, housing and transportation. Under a contract with NHTSA, New Editions works with experts to support safe road users. New Editions is unbiased in developing and adding website content to improve older road user safety, obtaining the most recent data and resources to provide for audiences. In addition to managing website enhancements and content, New Editions develops and conducts outreach strategies and activities to build awareness and use of ChORUS. Strategies and activities include creating partnerships with national organizations, grantees, and subject matter experts.
Acknowledgements
Creating ChORUS and ensuring its continued growth would not be possible without its panel of subject matter experts , who serve as key resources in the continuous improvement of this website.