Update on the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management

In order to reduce incident-related congestion and improve responder and motorist safety, the National Traffic Incident Management Coalition (NTIMC) has been leading the development of a National Unified Goal (NUG) for traffic incident management. The NUG, a national policy being developed by major national organizations representing traffic incident responders, will encourage state and local transportation and public safety agencies to adopt unified multi-disciplinary policies, procedures and practices that will dramatically improve the way traffic incidents are managed on U.S. roadways. The NUG addresses five themes: safe responders; prompt, reliable incident communications; safe, quick clearance; public education for incident prevention; and accountable progress. The goals of this effort align closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s congestion initiative.

A significant part of the phased process to develop the NUG took place recently, as delegates representing every aspect of the NUG’s five theme areas were invited to participate in an interactive discussion of the preliminary NUG draft at a drafting conference on November 28-29, 2006 in Newport Beach, California. The NTIMC had created the preliminary draft during the summer and fall of 2006 based upon extensive outreach and listening sessions with the leaders of stakeholder organizations. These organizations cover the areas of emergency medical services; fire and rescue; law enforcement; public safety communications; towing and recovery; and transportation. In an intensive two-day effort, the conference delegates from these organizations contributed their reactions and feedback to every aspect of the draft NUG through break-out sessions. The NTIMC recorded all of this input and is currently in the process of finalizing the NUG draft with the assistance of a NUG steering committee. Once the draft is finalized, it will go back to the stakeholder organizations for review, approval and adoption. A public release of the NUG will take place at a ratification summit later this year.

For more information about the NUG, visit http://timcoalition.org/?siteid=41&pageid=1973. The white papers prepared for the NUG drafting conference are also now available at http://timcoalition.org/?siteid=41. Developed by expert panels, these papers provide background information on key traffic incident management issues.