This synthesis will be of interest to highway agency administrative and executive officers, risk managers, legal officials, as well as to highway design, traffic, and safety engineers, enforcement agency personnel, claims managers, and others concerned with managing tort liability programs in state transportation agencies. It describes the state of the practice with respect to the manner in which these agencies manage highway tort liability programs. Management of claims associated with highways, streets, and pedestrian facilities is the focus of this synthesis, which describes program elements, costs, staffing, risk avoidance, and management requirements. This report of the Transportation Research Board describes the design and implementation of procedures and techniques to manage tort liability programs. Much of the material in this synthesis is also applicable to managing risks associated with modes other than highways within the state transportation agency. There is also applicability to local highway agencies, toll authorities, and public transit agencies.

Roadway Safety and Tort Liability, the second edition of Roadway Defects and Tort Liability, provides an extensive review of roadway design, roadway maintenance, traffic safety and human factors aspects of roadway safety. This edition has been expanded to include many important new topics. The first half examines the various structural components that make roads either safe or unsafe. It guides you through common roadway defects, explores historical standards, accident circumstances, and legal arguments. The second half provides an overview of lawsuits brought against states, and municipalities for accidents claimed to have been caused by one or more of the roadway safety topics discussed in the first section of the book.

Pre- and post-accident actions; trial preparation; loss mitigation program.