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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Traffic Incident Management Outreach Toolkit

Traffic Incident Management Because Time Matters. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

Welcome to the Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Outreach Toolkit. We know how important TIM is to the safety and reliability of our roadways and want to provide the tools you need to educate the public. All of the tools on this page were developed to help TIM programs across the country promote their message clearly and cost-effectively. With your help, we can teach the general public about the value of TIM and how we can work together towards the goal of safe, free-flowing, reliable roadways for everyone.

NHTSA's Move Over Public Outreach Campaign

Additional resources for your awareness campaign are available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and their Move Over initiative toolkit at https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/first-responder-safety/move-over.

Outreach Tools

Images of TIM products, including a presentation, two-sided postcard, poster, and brochure. Traffic Incident Management Master PowerPoint Presentation Traffic Incident Management Two-Sided Postcard Traffic Incident Management Brochure Traffic Incident Management Poster

FHWA Memo to Community Partners

Enlist the support of your local civic organizations (e.g., PTA, neighborhood associations, etc.) to help spread the word about the importance of TIM programs. This memo shows that your campaign is part of a national program to improve our roadways, one supported by the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.

  • FHWA Memo to Community Partners – Free Tools For Boosting Traffic Safety in Your Community [HTML, PDF 58KB]

Talking Points Framework

The Talking Points Framework is an internal reference document that contains the most important messages of TIM in a single simple structure. Use these messages, as appropriate, for any materials or content (e.g., speeches, news releases or web sites) you develop for your own campaign.

  • Talking Points Framework [HTML, PDF 207KB]

Sample Press Release

A press release communicates newsworthy information to journalists. This sample press release provides the standard format and style that you can quickly customize and send to relevant journalists when you identify current, newsworthy announcements. This is not a form to fill in, but an example of how to take a newsworthy item and link it to TIM.

  • Sample Press Release [HTML, PDF 46KB]
  • Fact Sheet Template [HTML, PDF 45KB]

Master PowerPoint Presentation

This dynamic PowerPoint gives an overview of TIM while encouraging audience participation. It can be used by a spokesperson at public meetings to communicate the importance of TIM and/or generate program support.

  • Master PowerPoint Presentation [HTML, PDF 1.7MB, PPT 7MB]

Brochure

A brochure can be used as a "leave-behind" or given to the general public as informative tool. The PDF has editable text fields so you can add in messaging specific to your audience. This tri-fold brochure can be printed double-sided on a standard 8.5 x 14 (legal) size sheet of paper. If you need to print this brochure in bulk, it can often be more cost effective to contact your local print shop.

Two-Sided Postcard

Similar to the brochure, a postcard is a visual way to inform the general public about TIM. The PDF has editable text fields so you can add in messaging specific to your audience. This double-sided postcard can be printed two to a page on a standard 8.5 x 11 (letter) size sheet of paper. If you need to print this postcard in bulk, it can often be more cost effective to contact your local print shop.

  • Two-Sided Postcard [HTML, PDF 961KB]
  • Two-Sided Postcard – Two-Up for Printing [HTML, PDF 963KB]

Poster

This poster uses bright visuals and clear messaging to create awareness of a driver's role in TIM. It can be used as a backdrop for public meetings or distributed through local partnerships (e.g., trucks stops, gas stations, schools, libraries and local businesses).

Sample Driver Education Program Curriculum Insert

Each year at least 2 million people — mostly teenagers — begin driving. Educating new drivers about these laws is an important first step in keeping motorists safe and moving on the roadways. This sample insert can be shared with State DMV and driver education programs across the country to explain the TIM related laws to new drivers.

  • Sample Driver Education Program Curriculum Insert [HTML, PDF 19KB]
  • Sampling of Example Language from State Driver Manuals [HTML, PDF 30KB]

Toolkit Launch Webinar PowerPoint

This PowerPoint summarizes and outlines how to effectively use each of the key components in the TIM Toolbox for your own campaigns.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Marketing

Other Resources

Virginia Department of Transportation Tips for Safe Driving in Virginia

Contact Us

For more information, please contact:

Paul Jodoin
Office of Operations, Federal Highway Administration
Department of Transportation
202-366-5465
Paul.Jodoin@dot.gov

James Austrich
Office of Operations, Federal Highway Administration
Department of Transportation
202-366-0731
James Austrich

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