Guidelines for Drafting Liability Neutral Transportation Engineering Documents and Communication Strategies

In the legal system, transportation engineering documents drafted by the transportation industry include manuals, studies, research documents, memoranda, and email. These documents are frequently used by litigants and courts as evidence bearing on the standard of care or duties for transportation agencies sued for alleged negligence in operation of transportation facilities.

The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Legal Research Digest 83: Guidelines for Drafting Liability Neutral Transportation Engineering Documents and Communication Strategies contains a writing guide for technical and non-technical authors and those employees who interact with the public and the media. This digest will assist authors in avoiding concepts and language that have legal implications by promoting clear, direct, objective, and fact-based expression.