Better Road Safety Through Data Analysis

HDR’s Jon Markt Writes About Predictive Safety Efforts for Roads & Bridges Magazine

With more data on road infrastructure and driver behavior becoming available in the United States, transportation agency leaders and safety advocates can access previously unavailable insights into factors in fatal and serious injury crashes. In Minnesota, advanced statistical modeling is using driver characteristics and behavior to predict the locations of these crashes, giving safety professionals enhanced insights into where to prioritize interventions. This predictive approach seeks to deploy strategic interventions to prevent crashes before they occur. 

Transportation Safety Program Manager Jon Markt contributed his expertise to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) predictive safety program, in addition to many other safety-focused efforts across the U.S. He described the program, which began in 2021, for a recent article in Roads & Bridges magazine. 

“The effort is still in process, but initial results are encouraging,” he wrote. “And it is emblematic of an ongoing shift in approach — targeting changes in driver behavior as a complement to ongoing infrastructure improvements. The ultimate goal remains the same: driving toward zero deaths on our roads.”

Read the article (requires login or subscribe for free) “Wanted: Safe Drivers” in the April 2025 issue of Roads & Bridges.