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Building Engineers for Safer Traffic (B.E.S.T), combines education and outreach by teaching concepts in transportation safety for vulnerable road users to high school students in the District through a STEM lens. B.E.S.T. educates students on safe systems principles through hands-on learning of transportation engineering topics including sight-distance, accessibility design, and geometric design of multimodal facilities. By teaching high school students about the engineering behind our infrastructure and the impact of safer roads, speeds, and vehicles (objectives of the safe systems approach), B.E.S.T. will work towards reducing the number of pedestrian and bicycle injuries in the District, especially those adjacent to high school, by creating safety-informed citizens.
WHY learn TRaffic engineering in High school?
WHY learn TRaffic engineering in High school?
The safety of all road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, transit riders, and other modes of transportation, is a crucial issue in the District of Columbia. Between 2017 and 2023, 14 bicyclists and 83 pedestrians died on District roadways, which is 97 too many lives lost. To achieve the District's goal of zero road fatalities, a paradigm shift is necessary to improve safety culture and refocus transportation system design and operation on anticipating human errors to save lives.
Educating young minds about the value of all road users and making safe choices regarding the rules of the road is one solution for a safer environment.
Safety-focused engineering designs are also essential solutions to enhance the roadway infrastructure.
Traditionally, pedestrian and bicycle safety education for youths has focused on early childhood. Experiential learning of traffic safety, as seen in elementary school traffic gardens, has the potential to profoundly impact behavior patterns. Similar efforts have been implemented in numerous elementary and middle schools across the US. However, engaging with "older" youths is just as essential for continuous learning and developing growth mindsets. High school students' transportation safety education usually concentrates on driving under the influence and driver's license preparation, rather than bike and pedestrian safety. Just as driver safety is critical for teens, teaching bike and pedestrian safety is just as critical, especially due to the recent trend of teens delaying driver licensing. A related effort focused on high school transportation safety education in the DC area includes the National Summer Transportation Institute Program hosted by Morgan State (annually since 1997) and by Howard University (in 2016) but these initiatives are traditionally more focused on transportation career awareness.
WHY learn TRaffic engineering in DC?
WHY learn TRaffic engineering in DC?
In DC, half of the eight public high schools in the District are located within 0.5 miles of a corridor identified in the High Injury Network. In particular, Dunbar High School is located within a block of New Jersey Ave (Tier 2 Segment) New York Ave (Tier 1 Segment) and North Capitol St (Tier 1 Segment) and Roosevelt High School is located on Georgia Ave (Tier 1 Segment) and a block from 14th St NW (Tier 2 Corridor). Between 2017 and 2023 at least 30 pedestrian / cyclist injuries occurred on the streets adjacent to the eight DC public high schools.
Outreach effort supported by the District of Columbia Office of the Deputy Mayor for Operations and Infrastructure - FY2024 Highway Safety Grant
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