ITE Webinar: Safe for Whom? Vehicles as the Overlooked Variable in Safe System Implementation

This webinar is led by the ITE Planning Council.

When: February 9, 2027 | 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET

Webinar Description:

How can transportation professionals address one of the most overlooked variables in Safe System implementation: the design of the vehicles using our roadways?

Drawing on the recently released ITE Technical Brief, Safe for Whom? Vehicles as the Overlooked Variable in Safe System Implementation, this webinar will explore how the increasing size, weight, and front-end height of modern SUVs, pickup trucks, and other light-duty vehicles are influencing crash severity, the safety of people walking and bicycling, and broader equity outcomes. Participants will gain insight into the latest research, emerging trends, and policy considerations that challenge conventional approaches to traffic safety and call for a broader understanding of shared responsibility within the Safe System framework.

The second half of the webinar will feature a panel of transportation, research, policy, and fleet safety experts who are actively addressing these issues through innovative programs. Panelists will share real-world experiences, discuss lessons learned from communities leading this work, and explore practical opportunities for integrating vehicle safety considerations into Vision Zero initiatives.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with the panel during an interactive Q&A session, making this a valuable forum for transportation professionals interested in creating transportation systems that are safe for all road users. Participants will leave with a greater understanding of how vehicle design influences safety outcomes and how agencies can incorporate vehicle-focused strategies into broader Safe System and Vision Zero efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze how increasing vehicle size, weight, and front-end height affect crash severity, visibility, and safety outcomes for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.
• Explain the relationship between vehicle design characteristics and Safe System principles, including how vehicle mass and geometry influence kinetic energy and crash survivability.
• Identify emerging practices and case studies that can support safer transportation systems.

Moderator: Dan Hennessey, PE, Director of Transportation and Public Works | City of Santa Rosa | Santa Rosa, California, USA

Presenters:

• Angie Byrne, Safety Practice Lead | Toole Design | Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
• Jimmy Jessup, Engineer III | Parametrix | Berkeley, California, USA
• Tara Gill, Senior Director of Federal and State Government Relations | Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety | Washington, District of Columbia, USA
• Eric Richardson, Founder and Principal | EBR Safety Solutions | New York, New York, USA

Fees:
ITE Members: Free
Non-Members: $79

Registration includes access to the live webinar and the on-demand recording for 30 days.

Non-members must create an ITE account to register here.

Last Day to Register On-Demand: Will be posted when the recording is uploaded.