Sep 1, 2008 12:00 PM

The US Department of Transportation has announced that the University of Minnesota will be home to a new national clearinghouse for information about the best way to make rural roads safer.

Built by the University's Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, the online clearinghouse will distribute information from researchers to transportation officials and first responders nationwide. The Center will also collect and distribute lessons being learned by transportation officials successfully combating rural road fatalities.

The clearinghouse is part of the US DOT's Rural Safety Initiative, a national strategy to help states and communities develop ways to eliminate the risks drivers face on America's rural roads and highlight available solutions and resources. It addresses five key goals: safer drivers, better roads, smarter roads, better-trained emergency responders, and improved outreach and partnerships.