Traffic Incident Management
Various traffic incident management scenes - heavy traffic after accident, traffic planning, police car blocking road, overturned car on bridge, detour, rescue workers.
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Publications

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Select FHWA publications that focus on Traffic Incident Management are described below, highlighting more recently published content. Additional publications are referenced and accessible through the TIM Performance Measures Knowledgebase. The broader suite of TIM publications is listed by title within the FHWA Office of Operations Publications site.

The following sites offer other sources of knowledge on TIM:

Recently Released Publications

Disaster Recovery Reform Act Section 1209 (Contraflow Provision) - State of the Practice in Selected Locations

Section 1209 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 asked FHWA to examine existing guidance related to evacuation routes. The Disaster Recovery Reform Act Section 1209 (Contraflow Provision) - State of the Practice in Selected Locations report focused on the use of contraflow (or reverse-laning operations) during emergencies. Multiple State DOTs were interviewed to determine the state of the practice of contraflow use.

Integrating Computer-Aided Dispatch Data with Traffic Management Centers

The Integrating Computer-Aided Dispatch Data with Traffic Management Centers Primer describes how integrating data from law enforcement and public safety computer-aided dispatch systems with transportation operating systems can improve incident response, help to save responder lives, and improve safety for travelers on the network. It presents several successful case studies of data sharing partnerships that have resulted in improved operational information as well as improved decision-making data for travelers. The Primer presents several practices that have advanced data sharing relationships between public safety agencies and transportation operating agencies.

Evaluation Results Summary: National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training Program

The National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training program includes a Train-the-Trainer (TtT) course that provides participants (i.e., trainers) the knowledge and materials necessary for them to conduct TIM training for TIM responders in their area, typically through use of the four-hour version of the training. To assess participant learning and to capture the impacts of the training on operations, FHWA developed a suite of surveys that cover reaction, learning, behavior and results. The surveys were administered using either hard copies during training sessions or through an online tool. The Evaluation Results Summary of the survey results captured between January 2016 and August 2017.

Business Case for Traffic Incident Management:

The purpose of this document is to support TIM agencies and partner agencies in the development of a strong business case for their TIM programs, as well as to introduce strategies that link investments with program results and, ultimately, with the strategic outcomes of the broader organization. Contact Paul Jodoin (Paul.Jodoin@dot.gov)

Traffic Incident Management Training Post-Course Assessment Tool Final Evaluation Report

The Traffic Incident Management Training Post-Course Assessment Tool Final Evaluation Report provides State and local agencies, decision-makers, and other users an overview of the student learning and impact of the multidisciplinary, multiagency training curriculum on operations. The Final Evaluation Report provides a description of the course participants and their perceptions of the training's effectiveness.

Featured TIM Publication Resources

Traffic Incident Management Gap Analysis Primer

The recommendations contained in the Traffic Incident Management Gap Analysis Primer allow that they may be tailored towards the needs of the area in which the Traffic Incident Management program will be implemented.

Making the Connection: Advancing Traffic Incident Management in Transportation Planning

The intent of Making the Connection: Advancing Traffic Incident Management in Transportation Planning primer is to inform and guide traffic incident management (TIM) professionals and transportation planners to initiate and develop collaborative relationships and advance TIM programs through the metropolitan planning process.

Traffic Incident Management Cost Management and Cost Recovery Primer

This publication provides mid-level managers at transportation and other stakeholder agencies with the resources they need to explain the benefits of traffic incident management (TIM) and TIM cost management and cost recovery to executive leadership. It also provides the same mid-level managers with information that will help them implement TIM cost management and cost recovery techniques. This document focuses on "recoverable costs" related to TIM, as there are costs associated with TIM that cannot accurately be measured or replaced; however, costs related to responder and motorist injury, disability, fatality, and the related medical and societal costs are not addressed here as those issues are addressed in a variety of ways in the existing literature.

  • Report (HTML, PDF 3.4MB) (Publication Number FHWA-HOP-12-044)
  • Presentations
    • Executive-Level Briefing (HTML, PDF 733KB)
    • Mid-Level Briefing (HTML, PDF 1.1MB)

Best Practices in Traffic Incident Management

Traffic incident management (TIM) is a planned and coordinated program to detect and remove incidents and restore traffic capacity as safely and quickly as possible. Over time, various tools and strategies have been developed and implemented in an effort to improve overall TIM efforts. This report describes task-specific and cross-cutting issues or challenges commonly encountered by TIM responders in the performance of their duties, and novel and/or effective strategies for overcoming these issues and challenges (i.e., best practices).

  • Report (HTML, PDF 1.3MB) (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-10-050)
  • Executive Summary (HTML, PDF 384KB) (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-10-050x)

Field Operations Guide for Safety/Service Patrols

This guide was produced by the Federal Highway Administration and was developed for use by Safety/Service Patrol operators and supervisors. It is expected that Safety/Service Patrol personnel will carry the guide in their vehicle to use as a quick reference while performing patrol tasks. They should refer to this guide on a regular basis as a refresher on steps and tasks associated with managing incidents - particularly for those situations not encountered every day. This guide is not designed to stand alone, but in conjunction with training and exercises that will indoctrinate the Safety/Service patrol operators into these good practices as well as Agency formal Standard Operating Guidelines or Procedures.

  • Guide (HTML, PDF 1.5MB) (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-10-014)

Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation for Traffic Incident Management Applications

Traffic incidents are a major source of congestion. Implementing traffic incident management (TIM) strategies has proven to be a highly cost effective way of reducing non-recurrent congestion. This publication provides the current state of practice of various analytical methodologies and related TIM applications. It, also, identifies some research activities to improve analysis of incident impacts and TIM strategies.

  • Report (HTML, PDF 2.9MB) (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-12-045)

2012 Senior Executive Transportation & Public Safety Summit Report

The 2012 Senior Executive Transportation & Public Safety Summit Report summarizes the proceedings, findings, and recommendations from a two-day Senior Executive Summit on Transportation and Public Safety, held June 26 and 27, 2012 at the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) in Washington, D.C.

2010 Traffic Incident Management Handbook

The 2010 version of the Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Handbook summarizes advances in TIM programs and practices across the country, and offers practitioners insights into innovations in TIM tools and technologies. The 2010 TIM Handbook also features a parallel Web-based version that can be conveniently bookmarked, browsed, or keyword-searched for quick reference. This version supersedes the Freeway Incident Management Handbook published by FHWA in 1991 and the Traffic Incident Management Handbook published in 2000.

  • Traffic Incident Management Handbook (HTML, PDF 1.5MB), Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-10-013.

Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Report

The United States Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA), announces the release of the Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study. The study report highlights the results of a U.S. Department of Justice - National Institute of Justice (NIJ) supported project intended to enhance emergency vehicle and roadway operations safety for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other emergency responders.

This partnership with the International Fire Service Training Association, supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, produced a study on emergency vehicle visibility and conspicuity, and expanded fire service efforts in these areas, to enhance emergency vehicle and roadway operations safety for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other emergency responders.

This report discusses best practices in emergency vehicle visibility and conspicuity, including cutting edge international efforts. It covers retroreflective striping and chevrons, high-visibility paint, built-in passive light, and other reflectors for law enforcement patrol vehicles, fire apparatus, ambulances and other EMS vehicles, and motorcycles. This report may be viewed and downloaded from the USFA Web site: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_323.pdf (PDF, 2.18MB).

It covers retroreflective striping and chevrons, high-visibility paint, built-in passive light, and other reflectors for law enforcement patrol vehicles, fire apparatus, ambulances and other EMS vehicles, and motorcycles. This report may be viewed and downloaded from the USFA Web site: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_323.pdf (PDF, 2.18MB).

Determining the Relative Impact of PSAs and Brochures Upon General Public Drivers Interfacing with Emergency Service Vehicles

Supported by the U.S. Fire Administration and the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice, the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association (CVVFA) announces the release of the report and training program, "Determining the Relative Impact of PSA's and Brochures Upon General Public Drivers Interfacing with Emergency Service Vehicles (PDF 1MB)." These products offer an interesting look into how drivers perceive roadway emergency responders after they have been exposed to the Slow Down, Move Over PSA, which will be included in FHWA's TIM Public Outreach Toolkit and may be seen at: YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LroL2xlVH1U&feature=plcp. See the full story at Respondersafety.com.

For an additional listing of Traffic Incident Management publications, please visit the Office Of Operations' Publications Web page.