Western Transportation Institute

07/17/2025

Day 4 of Rural Road Safety Awareness Week
Change the Game: Extra Innings With Whole Blood

Change the Game! Day 4Change the Game: Extra Innings With Whole Blood Download the complete set! Prehospital whole blood transfusion, at the point of injury, is a life-saving strategy that […]

07/17/2025

Still time to register for today's webinar!

In celebration of this year’s Rural Road Safety Awareness Week ( ) campaign, Post Crash Care: Big League Safety, we will host a two-part webinar series on post-crash care and how you can play a role in saving lives. In this webinar (part 2), you will learn about: • The impetus in creati...

07/16/2025

Day 3 of Rural Road Safety Awareness Week:
Be a pinch hitter and stop the bleed!

Be a Pinch Hitter! Day 3Be a Pinch Hitter: Stop the Bleed, Save Lives Download the complete set! Every minute counts. According to the Stop the Bleed campaign, the average […]

07/15/2025

Day 2 of Rural Road Safety Awareness Week -
Assemble Your Dream Team: The Post-Crash Lineup

Assemble Your Dream Team! Day 2Assemble Your Dream Team: The Post-Crash Lineup Download the complete set! Did you know that you are a member of the post-crash line up? Yes, […]

07/15/2025

Still time to register for today's webinar! Learn more post-crash care during Rural Road Safety Awareness Week.

In celebration of this year’s Rural Road Safety Awareness Week ( ) campaign, Post Crash Care: Big League Safety, we will host a two-part webinar series on post-crash care and how you can play a role in saving lives. In this webinar (part 1), you will learn about: • Why post-crash care i...

07/15/2025

Day 1 of Rural Road Safety Awareness Week: Hit a Grand Slam: Post-Crash Care on Rural Roads
!

Hit a Grand Slam! Day 1Hit a Grand Slam:Post-Crash Care on Rural Roads Download the complete set! As practitioners and safe road users, our goal is to stop crashes from […]

07/11/2025

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⚾ Rural Champions, Rural Road Safety Awareness Week is next week ⚾ Let’s rally for !
Fatalities and serious injuries are preventable. For every minute post-crash care is delayed, a victim's likelihood of survival drops by 3%⚠️ Post-crash care is the MVP—the final safety net in rural road safety.
📣 Get in the game: proclaim, share the news release, snag the RRSAW2025 logo, and learn more: ruralsafetycenter.org/rural-road-safety-awareness-week-2025/

02/11/2025

A recent study examined the impact of wolf reintroduction on wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) outside Yellowstone National Park. Wolves were reintroduced in 1995–1996, and the study analyzed data from 1989–2021 to assess changes in collision patterns pre and post introduction. Results showed a significant decline in WVCs after the wolves' return, suggesting they reduce WVCs by altering prey species' (like elk) behavior and movement patterns and by lowering prey population density. The findings indicate that apex predator conservation can minimize human-wildlife conflicts, like WVCs, and highlight the potential benefits for wildlife management and road safety.

Learn more at https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/research_projects/reintroduction-of-apex-predators-to-reduce-wildlife-vehicle-collisions

01/23/2025

Animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs) are a serious concern for motorist safety and pose risks to both wildlife and domestic animals. To help identify collision hotspots and inform mitigation strategies, a WTI researcher performed statistical analyses of AVCs on Montana tribal lands. They revealed that collisions with domestic animals (DAVCs) and wild animals (WVCs) differ in location and consistency. DAVCs are concentrated near agricultural and grazing areas and are more stable over time, suggesting that they’re influenced by factors such as livestock access points and grazing practices. In contrast, WVC are tied to natural habitats and wildlife corridors, are more variable, and are likely driven by changes in wildlife movement patterns and seasonal behavior.

Tribal lands experience higher rates of DAVCs, likely due to unique factors such as open range grazing and road proximity to grazing lands. This emphasizes the need for more and improved livestock fencing, road signage, and livestock underpasses in high-risk areas to reduce collisions and improve safety for both drivers and animals.

https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/research_projects/patterns-of-domestic-animal-vehicle-collisions-on-tribal-lands-in-montana/

01/20/2025

Looking for alternatives to salt for winter road maintenance? A new synthesis on non-chloride (salt-free) deicers reveals cost-efficient, safe, and eco-friendly options. Easy-to-use fact sheets for glycols, formates, acetates, and agricultural products provide winter maintenance professionals with the information they need to make informed decisions and compare these alternatives to traditional salt deicers.

Ready to explore 🧂🚫🧊 alternatives? The fact sheets and full report are available at https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/research_projects/efficacy-costs-and-impacts-of-non-chloride-deicers-an-educational-primer-and-product-information-sheets/

01/15/2025

An audit of transportation plans in Montana’s 10 most populous counties shows that while many include health-related guidance, only those with a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) measure community health impacts. This indicates that Montana communities are interested in the impacts of transportation decisions on public health and have an opportunity to further improve decision making by tracking physical and mental well-being over time.

Learn more at https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/research_projects/an-audit-of-health-related/

01/13/2025

A new study shows that electrified road barriers are effective at keeping large mammals, such as deer, elk, moose, and bears, out of fenced corridors and campgrounds in Banff and Yoho National Parks! The project tested partially electrified steel pipe along the Trans-Canada Highway and at Lake Louise Campground, and found that it was 100% effective when not compromised by snow or road salt.

Learn more at https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/research_projects/wildlife-barriers-at-fence-ends-and-at-access-roads-and-wildlife-jump-out-design/