Keeping You and Your Agency Out of Court - (Private Agencies/ Contractors/Consultants ONLY)
Workshop | Available
WHAT THIS IS ABOUT
This road safety workshop provides an overview of the legal duties and responsibilities of roadway personnel. The overall goal of the class is to use the lessons learned from tort claims filed against road agencies to develop countermeasures to enhance traffic safety and reduce crashes. Key legal concepts relating to the liability of roadway agencies and their employees are reviewed from a risk management standpoint. Common types of claims/lawsuits brought against street departments and roadway agencies are identified through examples/case studies. Examples include traffic control devices, temporary traffic control, roadway/shoulder surface condition, drainage, vegetation management and pedestrian incidents. Risk management principles, aimed at: (1) reducing/preventing crashes and claims and (2) helping agencies defend claims, are highlighted. Practical risk management strategies and activities (for both individuals and organizations) are identified.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This workshop should be of interest to state and local roadway agency employees who deal with design, construction, traffic operations, and maintenance.
AGENDA
Session 1—Tort Liability
- What Is a Tort and How Does it Relate to Road Safety?
- Duties of Road Agencies and Related Concepts
- Elements of a Tort Claim
- Defenses to Tort Liability
- The Tort Claims Process
- Discovery (including tips for giving depositions)
- Agency and Employee Liability
- Examples of Common Tort Claims
Session 2—Risk Management Strategies and Lessons Learned from Actual Claims
- Principles of Risk Management
- Strategies/Activities to Reduce the Risk of Liability
- Case Studies: Lessons Learned from Actual Tort Claim
PDHs AVAILABLE
6 Professional Development Hours can be granted for this course. No partial credit available. Attendees must attend at least 90% of the workshop to get 6 PDHs.
TENNESSEE ACADEMY FOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING (TATE)
This course serves as an elective for the Tennessee Academy for Transportation Engineering (TATE) certificate. TATE provides continuing education for engineers, planners, designers and technicians. The program focuses on the basic design of transportation facilities, the evaluation of traffic operations, and the collection of data to support various transportation studies. Successful completion of the required curricula of core and elective courses confers TATE certification. For more information, contact Airton Kohls at 865-974-5255.
REGISTRATION FEE
This workshop is free for employees or elected officials of counties, cities, towns, and similar forms of local government, in addition to state government employees. All other participants, including consultants, contractors, etc, must pay a registration fee of $120. Pre-registration is required for all participants. Paying registrations must be received at least one business day before the workshop to ensure that you will receive your Zoom invitation before the event begins.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Due to schedule commitments from our instructors, the registration fee is not refundable if a registrant withdraws less than 4 8 hours before the workshop. If you cannot attend, you may designate a substitute participant for the workshop at no additional cost (please notify us in advance if possible). TTAP may reject registrations from participants who do not select the correct fee option. If you are unsure which option you should select, please contact us at TTAP@utk.edu.
Ron Eck
Ron is Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at West Virginia University and Director of the West Virginia Local Technical Assistance Program (WV LTAP). He has been involved in traffic engineering, including accessibility, pedestrian and bicycle transportation, for over 45 years. He is a past member of the Pedestrian Committee of the Transportation Research Board. He authored the chapter on Pedestrians in McGraw-Hill’s Handbook of Transportation Engineering. He regularly teaches classes on pedestrians and accessibility for public works agencies throughout the United States.