Safety Processes

Selective Traffic Enforcement Program

The Texas Department of Transportation uses AASHTOWare Safety to manage its Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) and support law enforcement crash-reduction efforts.

Implementation Effort

• Requires minimal effort
• Timeline between 2-3 weeks*

* Assuming an agency has an existing, configured AASHTOWare Safety instance and all required data

Required Data

• Crash Data

Focus Areas

• STEP Grant
• Behavioral Traffic Enforcement 

Process Overview

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) manages the federally funded Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), which focuses enforcement on locations with the highest incidence of fatal and serious-injury crashes. The program depends on consistent, data-informed zone selection and the ability to measure performance over time. 

“The goal of the STEP program is for TxDOT to develop strategic partnerships with law enforcement to reduce crashes by creating safer driving environments on Texas roadways through high-visibility engagement (HVE).”

-Texas Department of Transportation 

Historically, zone selection was often reactive, focusing on recent crash spikes rather than sustained crash patterns. Using AASHTOWare Safety helped agencies quickly isolate fatal and serious injury crashes to identify hot-spot locations. This ensured the proposed enforcement zones are built on longer-term crash patterns rather than short-term spikes.

Using Crash Query to track proposals ensures each one is in a consistent format using the same data and tools, making it easier for TxDOT. Reviewers can open saved queries, verify zone criteria, and track proposals all in one place.  

Saving the queries makes it easy to track progress over time. Agencies can adjust or relocate zone boundaries to address new crash hotspots as needed. Using AASHTOWare Safety standardized the STEP process and ensures each grant proposal meets the same quality standards. 

More information on this topic can be found below:

• https://www.txdot.gov/safety/ 
• https://www.txdot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-campaigns.html