This project will look at the challenges law enforcement face in managing micromobility-related incidents and develop ideas to improve practices.
Status: In Development
State highway safety offices (SHSOs) apply funds administered by NHTSA that focus on road user behavior, while state departments of transportation (DOTs) administer funds focused on infrastructure improvements. Due to the differing nature of behavioral and infrastructure countermeasures, it is not currently possible to assess the effectiveness of both at the project level when evaluating alternatives.
NHTSA’s Countermeasures That Work uses a five-star system to rate behavioral countermeasures based on their effectiveness. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) maintains the Crash Modification Factor (CMF) Clearinghouse, an online database that expresses the effectiveness of engineering- or infrastructure-based countermeasures.
NCHRP Project 17-60: Effectiveness of Behavioral Highway Safety Countermeasures, developed a benefit-cost methodology to support consideration of behavioral and infrastructure countermeasures similarly, though NCHRP 17-60 ultimately focused on developing a benefit-cost analysis framework that did not necessarily allow incorporation of these analyses into infrastructure projects. Behavioral countermeasures quantified in a way that could be considered in infrastructure project decisions would help agencies implement a more comprehensive approach to understanding the safety impacts of funding decisions.
The rise of micromobility devices, including e-scooters, e-bikes, and other personal transportation technologies, has transformed urban transportation systems. However, this shift has introduced new challenges for law enforcement agencies and State Highway Safety Offices. The unique characteristics of these devices, such as their small size, high maneuverability, lack of registration, and shared usage models, create enforcement and investigative complexities. Additionally, traffic safety laws in many states are often unclear regarding micromobility, providing limited guidance to law enforcement officers in regulating these devices.
Incidents involving micromobility users are often underreported or inconsistently investigated. Limited training, unclear laws and weak data‑sharing systems add to the challenge and make it harder for agencies to understand risks and protect all road users.
The project will synthesize current micromobility laws across the country, identify gaps and document the challenges officers face in enforcing traffic laws and investigating crashes. It will also explore ways to improve the reporting of micromobility crashes.
The research will produce a toolkit with best practices, training resources and tools that help law enforcement agencies strengthen enforcement, improve investigations and coordinate more effectively with partner agencies.
