With the release of the Second Edition of the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual anticipated in 2026, transportation practitioners face increasing expectations to clearly and defensibly communicate safety performance in ways that can withstand professional and legal scrutiny. TRB hosted a webinar on Monday, March 2, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Eastern that examined how carefully chosen language—and the avoidance of certain terms and phrases—can reduce the risk of misinterpretation or misuse of safety-related documents in legal and professional settings. Drawing on examples from a style and usage guide developed to inform safety research, this webinar highlighted words and phrases that carry legal implications and explain their potential effects. Attendees learned how these principles can be applied when developing reports, summaries, and other documentation to help minimize liability concerns while clearly conveying safety performance information.
This webinar was based on NCHRP Research Report 1140: Quantitative Safety Analyses for Highway Applications.
This webinar was sponsored by TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program and the Standing Technical Committee on Safety Data, Analysis, and Performance.

 
Webinar agenda and presenters

• Introduction and research overview – Darren Torbic, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
• Clear language and context – Brelend Gowan, attorney at law & legal consultant
• Practical applications – John Milton, Washington State Department of Transportation
• Question and answer session moderated by Michelle Deng, Massachusetts Department of Transportation

The first 60 minutes of the webinar were for presentations and the final 30 minutes were reserved for audience questions.
 
Learning Objectives
At the end of this webinar, participants can:

• Understand the purpose and structure of the Style and Usage Guide developed for HSM2
• Identify and categorize problematic language
• Apply practical strategies to revise technical content

 
Professional Development Hours
This webinar was delivered as a scheduled – e-learning live event and is categorized within RCEP as Technical, Health and Safety.
Professional Development Hours (PDHs) earned on completion of this program were reported to the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Certificates of Completion are issued to all participants via the RCEP.net online system. Complaints about registered providers may be addressed to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Fl., Washington, DC, 20005.
Continuing Legal Education Credits
TRB offered 1.25 CLE credits for this webinar. TRB did not seek approval for this webinar from the state board. Registered webinar attendees who signed in and viewed the entire webinar received a link to a certificate that they can fill out and provide to the appropriate MCLE Board(s) or Commission(s) within 30 days of activity.