Richard Retting, M.S., FITE

Vice President, Director of Safety + Research and General Manager, Washington, D.C. Office

Richard Retting manages the Washington, D.C.-based office for SSE. He has nearly 30 years of traffic engineering and research experience, and is a widely recognized North American expert in the field of traffic safety. Recent projects managed by Retting include: logistics support for the 2009 Presidential Inauguration; ITE Fundamentals of Safety Curriculum; NCHRP Guidelines for Timing Yellow and All-Red Intervals; and NHTSA’s improving the General Deterrence Effects of Sobriety Checkpoints.

Retting has an extensive publication record, including more than 100 research papers published in scientific journals and conference proceedings, as well as several book chapters and editing assignments. During the 1980’s, he held several progressively responsible positions with the New York City Department of Transportation, culminating as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Traffic Safety Programs. His responsibilities included traffic safety engineering, traffic safety education, research, law enforcement coordination, and oversight of Federal traffic safety funds. Retting established many new programs at the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), including Safety Engineering/Education Units, Forensic Evaluation Team, Truck Enforcement Squad, and Wet Weather Crash Program.

After leaving NYCDOT, Retting served 18 years as Senior Transportation Engineer with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) – one of the world’s leading and most respected traffic safety organizations. At IIHS, Retting conducted research into motor vehicle crashes; evaluated effectiveness of crash and injury countermeasures; designed and conducted scientifically sound research studies; selected and supervised research contractors; analyzed data; published findings; provided information to the media, traffic engineers, and public health agencies; peer reviewed literature; responded to technical inquiries and prepared Federal Register comments; presented findings at technical forums; and provided expert testimony to state and local governments. He managed 75 research projects with total budgets of about $3 million. Retting served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on more than 50 research projects, and became well known for his field investigations and analytical studies of traffic safety, including studies on roundabouts, traffic control devices, traffic signal timing, traffic speeds, automated speed enforcement, red light running, pedestrian safety, and low-cost traffic engineering measures to reduce urban crashes.