Safe Communities

Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTSTs) are synonymous with Safe Communities. These classic programs launched in the mid-1990s. They play a critical role in traffic safety, connecting local communities, identifying priority problems, and implementing countermeasures. The Northeast FDOT District Two Florida’s Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP) is committed to safety and Target Zero. Florida’s traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities are at critical levels. Our CTSTs work together to improve traffic safety and help curb dangerous driving behaviors. We bring highway safety, public health, law enforcement, and business leaders across our 18 counties. Teams address local traffic safety concerns and the ongoing roadway safety crisis.

What is a Safe Community?

Safe Communities is a model used by communities nationwide to identify and address local injury problems. Safe Communities allow citizens to predict when and where injuries are most likely to strike. And take the best course of action to keep them from happening at all. This article speaks specifically to those injuries caused by traffic crashes. However, the model can be used to address any local injury problem. Four essential characteristics define Safe Communities:

  1. Use of multiple sources of data to identify community injury problems;
  2. Citizen involvement;
  3. Expanded partnerships; and
  4. A comprehensive and integrated injury control system.

The mission of the FDOT District 2 Community Traffic Safety Program is to reduce traffic-related fatalities and injuries. We do this within our communities by solving local problems with state assistance. We strive for Florida’s goal of Target Zero, following the Safe System Approach while incorporating the fundamentals of Safe Communities.

Historical Safe Communities Documents

Safe Communities The First Six Months
The First Six Months
Safe Communities: Community Traffic Safety Outreach Featuring Florida CTST Best Practices
Safe Communities: Featuring Florida CTST Best Practices
Safe Communities Approach
An Approach to Reduce Traffic Injuries
Safe Communities Evaluating and Monitoring
Evaluating and Monitoring
Safe Communities Tool Kit
2007 Tool Kit
Safe Communities Getting Started Presentation
Getting Started Presentation

An Approach to Reduce Traffic Injuries

In 1995, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) distributed a summary, “Putting It Together: A Model for Integrating Injury Control System Elements,” describing how prevention, acute care, and rehabilitation need to work together to make progress in reducing injuries. This injury control approach has application to traffic safety. A Safe Communities approach is one way to get the injury control system components to work together to reduce injuries. (Content from NHTSA)

Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of all injury deaths. Motor vehicle-related injuries are the principal cause of on-the-job fatalities. Additionally, it’s the third largest cause of all deaths in the United States. Only heart attacks and cancer kill more people. However, far more people are injured and survive motor vehicle crashes than die in these crashes. Most of these injuries and deaths are not acts of fate but are predictable and preventable. Injury patterns, including traffic-related injury patterns, vary by age, gender, and cultural group. There are also seasonal and geographic patterns to injury. Once the cause of injuries is identified, interventions can be designed to address the cause. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities.

Community-Based Approaches: Illustrations from Traffic Safety

Community Traffic Safety Programs were an outgrowth of the successful occupant protection and anti-drunk driving programs of the 1970s and 1980s. Historically, CTSPs combined two or more traffic safety countermeasures or interventions to address such local problems. Issues like impaired driving and infrequent use of child safety seats and safety belts. Over time, in various combinations that were appropriate to a specific community, citizen advocacy groups, law enforcement, business, public health agencies, education, the courts, and the media combined efforts by forming coalitions with elected officials and other community leaders to develop solutions to local traffic safety problems.

National Community Traffic Safety Program History

The CTSP is a national initiative established by the NHTSA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) partnership. The program was launched in 1993 to address and prevent traffic fatalities and injuries in local communities. The CTSP built upon the strengths and resources of the two agencies’ efforts by expanding the role of engineering. Furthermore, it brings new partners like the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Officials, and highway safety educators. The goal is to promote cooperation and trust and develop cost-effective activities, including new skills, technologies, and ideas to focus on crash-related problems. (NHTSA Corridor/Community Traffic Safety Programs Student Manual, Transportation Safety Institute 1994) 

Florida Program History

“The 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act mandated a state safety management system (SMS). The SMS integrated vehicles, drivers, and roadway elements into a comprehensive approach to solving highway safety problems. The focus of the SMS was to ensure that safety became an integral part of highway planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of all public roads. The FDOT used the CTSP and local Teams to address the SMS requirements.” (Safety Sentinel, March 1998) 

The agency decided that the best way to address safety on all public roads was a multi-disciplinary approach, with the intent to expand the CTST concept throughout the state. This would address safety problems on non-state roads. Additionally, it would provide forums for the various disciplines at the state and local levels. 

District Two CTSTs

One of the most crucial functions of a CTST is identifying and reporting problems on our local roadways. Through our monthly work addressing local roadway concerns, we bring together the 4E’s of safety: Engineering, Education, Emergency Medical Services, and Enforcement. Team members are the “eyes” of our roadways.

We know from FHWA that local agencies own approximately 75 percent of rural roads. Unfortunately, while local roads are less traveled than State highways, they have a much higher rate of serious crashes. By bringing the many community partners together to address identified issues in a community, FDOT has a connection to issues and data on local roads. Examples of some of the concerns addressed each month include requests for studies and maintenance support. Areas include school crossings, roadway hazards, road surface conditions, access problems, pedestrian and bicycle issues, micro-mobility issues, signage, pavement markings, signals, and areas that may need an increased law enforcement presence. 

Since 1994, the FDOT District Two CTSP has effectively identified local crash problems and provided solutions.

W.H.A.L.E. Check Program

We Have A Little Emergency – W.H.A.L.E. CHECK Child Passenger Safety Program

Now is the time to educate new parents and caregivers about Florida’s Child Passenger Safety (CPS) laws and guidelines. The W.H.A.L.E. Check program is an excellent resource with important child passenger information and recommendations. Please help us raise awareness and prevent tragedies among our most precious cargo.

The number of U.S. births rose in 2021. The modest 1% gain is more like a baby bump than a baby boom. However, according to new Census Bureau data, Florida’s population also grew by 1.9% from July 2021 to July 2022 – the most significant increase of any US state. Since 2016, some District Two counties have seen even higher growth. St. Johns County has grown by 24% and Nassau County by 16.5% over the last six years. With this baby and population increase in Northeast Florida, there is a need to strengthen child passenger safety education and outreach.

whale check program flyer

Free Resource: Child Passenger Safety Flyer

Available statewide as a digital download courtesy of FDOT District Two: Click here to download the W.H.A.L.E. Check as a one-page, printable PDF flyer. You can print any quantity you need at a reasonable cost on white 8.5×11 label sheets! They are great to distribute at car seat checks, traffic safety events, daycare centers, pediatrician offices, government agencies, and hospitals. Parents and caregivers can read the car seat guidelines and tips, fill out their contact information for emergency personnel, and adhere it along with the two W.H.A.L.E. Check logos onto the child’s car seat.

Child Passenger Safety Awareness and Education

FDOT UF Shands Health WHALE Check Program

Child Passenger Safety Week is September 17-23, and National Seat Check Saturday is September 23, 2023. This year, we created a fresh new look for our flyer by incorporating Florida’s Target Zero colors while keeping with the softer baby tones. Please share this vital child passenger safety information to help reach the goal of zero roadway deaths for our little ones.

Additionally, we designed a special edition in the orange and blue colors of UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital for their partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for them to print and distribute in their communities in and around Gainesville.

The W.H.A.L.E. Check program was first introduced in May of 2002 in Jacksonville, Florida, by Northeast FDOT District Two’s Community Traffic Safety Program. This is a child passenger safety education and identification program for parents and caregivers in Florida. In the event of an automobile crash, children are often too young to identify themselves or provide helpful information.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to complete the sticker and place it on the back of the child’s car seat to provide vital contact information to emergency personnel. We suggest users stick the two smaller labels on each side of the car seat. These alert rescuers that the occupant is participating in W.H.A.L.E. Check.

Our popular and nationally recognized W.H.A.L.E. Check campaign remains highly requested and distributed material with important child occupant protection education and information. Almost 300,000 printed W.H.A.L.E. Checks have been distributed in Northeast Florida since being launched. Over 1,656 digital versions have been viewed or downloaded from this website. The site has received over 10,000 social media W.H.A.L.E. Check impressions just in the last several years. Watch the video above to learn more about how the program works.

w.h.a.l.e. check program

Free Social Media Graphic

Click here to download this CPS social media image to help promote the W.H.A.L.E. Check program. Don’t forget to tag us!
@trafficsafetyteam on Facebook and Instagram 
@trafficsafetyfl on Twitter and Pinterest


The W.H.A.L.E. Check informational flyer also includes child safety seat advice and guidelines. Here are five safety tips to help prevent injuries in case of a car crash:

  1. WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT: Studies show that if you wear your seat belt, your kids will too.
  2. Follow manufacturer’s instructions: Always check the manual for both your
    car and the child safety seat for proper installation guidelines.
  3. Seat strapped in tight: You should not be able to move the car seat more than one inch
    in any direction at the belt path, and always use the top tether when forward facing.
  4. Chest clip at armpit level & harness snug: Straps should be tight enough
    so that you cannot pinch the fabric of the harness at the shoulders.
  5. Back seat is safest: Children age 13 and under should ride in the back seat.
    Older children no longer need a special seat if their legs bend comfortably at the
    seat’s edge with their back resting flat against the back of the seat.

We follow these American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations and want all children safeguarded in the right car seat:

  • Birth – 12 Months: Babies under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. There are different types of rear-facing car seats: Infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.
  • 1 – 3 Years: Toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat with a harness as long as possible – until they reach the top height or weight limit of the seat, typically around 35 to 45 pounds.
  • 4 – 7 Years: Young children should ride in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until they reach the top height or weight limit of the seat – typically between 40 and 60 pounds.
  • 8 – 12 Years: Children should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt lies snug across the shoulder and chest, not over the neck or face.

Child passenger safety has dramatically evolved over the past decade; however, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children 4 years and older. This policy statement provides 4 evidence-based recommendations for best practices in the choice of a child restraint system to optimize safety in passenger vehicles for children from birth through adolescence: (1) rear-facing car safety seats as long as possible; (2) forward-facing car safety seats from the time they outgrow rear-facing seats for most children through at least 4 years of age; (3) belt-positioning booster seats from the time they outgrow forward-facing seats for most children through at least 8 years of age; and (4) lap and shoulder seat belts for all who have outgrown booster seats. In addition, a fifth evidence-based recommendation is for all children younger than 13 years to ride in the rear seats of vehicles. It is important to note that every transition is associated with some decrease in protection; therefore, parents should be encouraged to delay these transitions for as long as possible. 

From the American Academy of Pediatrics, Child Passenger Safety Technical Report

Traffic Safety Talk Newsletter

Welcome to our Traffic Safety Talk newsletter – the FDOT District Two Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP) news and information update. Each issue includes recent projects, community outreach events, and safety campaigns. We discuss Traffic Safety Team materials and resources available for members. Digital flipbooks of the most recent newsletters are available. Additionally, we have included the PDF documents below to view current and past editions.

Current Traffic Safety Talk News Update • August 2023 Flip Book:

In this most recent issue, various topics and projects are highlighted. They include:

Click here for the August 2023 Traffic Safety Talk PDF file.

Previous Traffic Safety Talk News Update • June 2023 Flip Book:

Click here for the June 2023 Traffic Safety Talk – PDF file.

June’s newsletter included:

April 2023 Edition Flip Book:

April’s newsletter included:

  • CTSP plays a critical role in community engagement.
  • Safety Lane: Districtwide discussions new in 2023.
  • Upcoming CTST meetings.
  • Traffic Safety Champions since 1994 – new video released for National Volunteer Week.
  • Elizabeth De Jesus is a Traffic Safety CHAMPION!
  • Highlighting engineering concerns solved in District 2.
  • Buckle Up Materials Available for Click It or Ticket!
  • Spring mocktail recipes for Cinco De Mayo and Memorial Day holidays.
  • New traffic safety activity books and bookmarks are coming soon!

February 2023 Edition Flip Book:

February’s newsletter included:

  • Recognizing team members, engineering concerns, and outreach in 2023.
  • Upcoming CTST meetings.
  • January was Florida’s Move Over awareness month.
  • Can you believe it’s been 25 years of “Recipes for the Road”?
  • Mocktail recipes trending in the New Year.
  • Working with local libraries for over 20 years!
  • Occupant protection and child passenger safety remain a priority.
  • Walt Duffany is a Traffic Safety CHAMPION!

Staying Positive and Engaged 

The landscape of the FDOT District Two CTSP has changed over recent years, with meetings and events held virtually. However, we continue to expand awareness of traffic safety issues and solve local traffic safety concerns throughout our 18-county district in Northeast Florida.

Our focus is reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities on our roadways as we move toward the goal of Target Zero. CTSP does this through the 4 E’s and more of traffic safety, which includes: engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency medical services. We connect with team members and community partners throughout the year to share important traffic safety information, resources, and strategies.

Traffic Safety Talk Newsletters:

Crash Data and 2022 Annual Report

This page includes the most recent FDOT District Two Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP) Annual Report and Crash Data Reports. Listed below, we provide crash facts for each of the 18 Northeast Florida counties in District Two. We also have combined districtwide totals. This resource is for our local Traffic Safety Team members, partners, and agencies.

CTSP Annual Report

A summary of last year’s Northeast Florida Community Traffic Safety Program and combined crash facts from District Two. This resource may be used and shared among our Traffic Safety Team members, partners, and agencies. In addition to the crash facts for 12 Florida Strategic Highway Safety Plan emphasis areas, we highlight traffic safety efforts and community outreach in 2022 with overviews on topics addressed throughout the year. These reports are a fundamental evaluation tool as we work toward reducing injuries and deaths on our roadways. Together, we can make progress to achieve our target of ZERO.

2022 District Two Crash Data Summaries

The Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) includes roadway, user behavior, and road user emphasis areas. The crash data includes total crashes, fatalities, and injuries for each emphasis area. This year, we changed the format to incorporate demographics and key factors in the crashes. We broke out the crashes by age and gender of the at-fault driver. Also included on each fact sheet are brief takeaway points. Click here to review crash data reports by county and from previous years.

intersection crash data

Intersection Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

occupant protection crash data

Occupant Protection Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Impaired Driving Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Distracted Driving Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Aggressive Driving Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Bicyclist Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Pedestrian Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Motorcyclist Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Aging Driver Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Teen Driver Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Commercial Vehicle Summary Reports for Northeast Florida

Northeast Florida County Data Resources

We have county crash data available with previous years’ summary reports. Our team materials page has additional resources, information, newsletters, and Florida reports. These resources evaluate and establish traffic safety concerns and trends in Northeast Florida. Our Community Traffic Safety Teams work to make safety improvements with the goal of reducing crashes and saving lives.

Resource Manuals

We have compiled primary documents as a helpful resource for our Community Traffic Safety Program members and agencies in Northeast Florida, District Two. These resource manuals are a great reference to common questions and can assist while planning and improving traffic safety on our local roadways.

Traffic Safety Resource Manuals

FDOT-traffic-engineering resource manual TEM

Traffic Engineering Manual (TEM)

The FDOT Traffic Engineering Manual (TEM) aims to provide traffic engineering standards and guidelines for use on the State Highway System. Furthermore, the manual covers the process whereby standards and guidelines are adopted, and chapters are devoted to highway signs, traffic signals, markings, and specialized operational topics. 

Traffic Engineering Manual PDF Effective January 1, 2023

resource manuals speed zoning

Speed Zone Manual

The Manual on Speed Zoning for Highways, Roads, and Streets in Florida, is also known as the “Speed Zone Manual.” It was created to promote uniformity in establishing state, municipal, and county speed zones throughout Florida. This FDOT Speed Zoning for Florida document complies with Chapter 316 of the Florida Statutes. Adopted for use by the State of Florida under Rule 14-15.012, Florida Administrative Code.  

Speed Zone Manual PDF Revised August 20, 2018

resource-manual-thumbnail-ICE

Manual on Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE)

The FDOT Intersection Operations and Safety developed the ICE manual, forms, tools, scope of services, and staff hour estimation. The ICE process quantitatively evaluates several intersection control scenarios. It ranks these alternatives based on their operational and safety performance. Implementing a “performance-based” procedure also creates a transparent and consistent approach.

Manual on Intersection Control Evaluation PDF Effective January 1, 2023

resource manuals TSM&O strategic plan

Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSM&O) Strategic Plan

The ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) Strategic Plan provides statewide direction and guidance. FDOT, Florida’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and local governments use this Strategic Plan to plan, program, and implement integrated multi-modal ITS elements. Chiefly, the purpose is to maximize the safety and efficiency of Florida’s Transportation System. 

TSM&O Strategic Plan PDF Updated August 17, 2017

complete streets handbook cover

Complete Streets Handbook

The FDOT is committed to enhancing our residents’ and visitors’ safety and mobility with Complete Streets principles. Florida’s Complete Streets 360º approach to transportation planning, design, construction, and operations focuses on identifying the right solutions for communities based on the needs and desires of all roadway users.

In addition to FDOT’s reference materials, we created an informational presentation specific to Complete Streets in Northeast Florida.

Complete Streets Handbook PDF Updated April 25, 2017

manual on uniform traffic control devices

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, or MUTCD, defines the standards used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain traffic control devices on all public streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public travel. The MUTCD is published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 655, Subpart F. At this time, the USDOT is working on the next edition of the MUTCD.

Current 2009 Edition of MUTCD Revised July 2022

Additional Engineering and Planning Resources

Whether you have a specific project or engineering concern or want to expand your knowledge, these are useful reference materials. In addition to the above resource manuals, we provide Crash Fact Data Sheets for all 18 counties in District Two. Another resource is our Team Materials which includes traffic safety reports, Florida’s Strategic Highways Safety Plan, and our Traffic Safety Talk newsletter.