Meeting the Challenges of Transportation Liability and Risk Management

Dates: May 10-19, 2021

Meets: M and W from 10:00 AM to 12 N

Location: Online

Sorry, we are no longer accepting registrations for this course. Please contact our office to find out if it will be rescheduled, or if alternative classes are available.

Sorry, we are no longer accepting registrations for this course. Please contact our office to find out if it will be rescheduled, or if alternative classes are available.

This class is offered in partnership with the California Department of Transportation, Division of Local Assistance. Registration fees are subsidized with funding from the Cooperative Training Assistance Program. Reduced rates are available to employees of California's city, county, regional, and other public agencies only.

Description

The intent of this course is to improve public agency defense practices and reduce future claims by raising awareness of certain design elements that frequently expose cities to liability or create unnecessary risk. The class will cover design, traffic control device usage, and often overlooked or ignored operational/maintenance issues that end up causing accidents, potential fatalities and litigation. This course will also focus on tort liability litigation practices and the review of real-life cases involving the exercise of discretion in design. We will try to provide a framework for determining successful strategies employed when dealing with design decisions, especially when made following the principles of context sensitive solutions. The most recent sources of information will be identified so participants can obtain additional information on the course topics listed below. Although the cases discussed will involve lawsuits resulting from highway design, the information provided will help civil engineers who are involved as witnesses in various types of litigation.

A significant and continuing need of Highway and Transportation Departments involves assembling, analyzing, and evaluating operating practices, administrative procedures, and legal issues associated with highway and transportation projects. Individual State legal experiences need to be compared and made available for possible wider application. This online course will identify and evaluate legal options and how this facilitates the handling of both immediate and long-range needs of engineering, planning, and administrative aspects of transportation programs. The course will be interactive; students will be asked for responses about various aspects of the presented material, potential design flaws and real-life case studies.

Click here for a detailed outline.

Topics Include

  • Understanding concepts of liability for design or maintenance of public infrastructure.
  • Covering the basics of document production, responding to Public Records Requests, Notices to Produce Documents, Special Interrogatories, Request for Admissions
  • How to behave, respond and provide focused responses to questions posed by Attorneys during Depositions and at trial from an engineer's perspective only
  • Learning about a variety of tort liability litigation practices
  • Understanding how highway design practices are challenged in various situations
  • Exploring concept of discretion as a strategy in government tort liability
  • Understanding the importance of balancing factors in addressing the needs of all road users.

Who Should Attend

This webinar will benefit transportation professionals (engineers and planners) who work for consultants, cities, counties, and state agencies involved in designing roadway projects. This course is designed for individuals with some background and training in designing streets and intersections who are interested in learning more about the tort liability, how it relates to the highway design process. The course may also be helpful to the staff of public agencies who are involved with street and roadway maintenance on a day to day basis.

For More Information

About our courses and credits, see our FAQ
About cancellations, refunds, and substitutions, see How to Enroll

Cancellation Policy

To cancel your registration and receive a refund less a $75 processing fee, you must notify TechTransfer at least five (5) working days before the course is scheduled to begin. Notifications must be made in writing and sent by email to registrar@techtransfer.berkeley.edu. We reserve the right to charge the full course fee if proper notification is not sent to TechTransfer. We don't offer refunds for classes with registration fees of $75 or less.

In lieu of canceling your registration, you have three additional options: you may (1) transfer your registration to another class, (2) receive a tuition credit for the total amount, useable toward a future class, or (3) send a substitute in your place. Please contact us at least 5 full working days before the class is scheduled to begin so we may process your request.

If you’ve registered for a self-paced class, you cannot receive a refund once you start the class.

We recommend you discuss any possible problems or online security issues with your IT person before you register for any online classes. If you are worried about connectivity issues, please contact the online training coordinator the week before the class to schedule a time to test your system. If you do not test your system and you have technical issues during a live online class, we will not provide a refund.

Or email us with your questions at registrar@techtransfer.berkeley.edu
Or call us at 510-643-4393

Notes:

Group Pricing Special

Pay for one online class registration at full-price and receive up to five additional registrations for your co-workers for the same class at half-price. After you complete your full-price online class registration, please contact our registrar at registrar@techtransfer.berkeley.edu to receive a coupon code for 50% off each additional participant that you can share with up to five others from your agency. If your co-worker has provided you with a coupon code, you will be prompted to enter the code before you complete your registration. For groups larger than six, please contact the registrar at registrar@techtransfer.berkeley.edu for more information. Some online courses are excluded from this offer.

Class Schedule

This class has four, two-hour sessions.

Monday, May 10, 2021 :: 10:00 a.m. -12:00 noon :: Pacific Time
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 :: 10:00 a.m. -12:00 noon :: Pacific Time
Monday, May 17, 2021 :: 10:00 a.m. -12:00 noon :: Pacific Time
Wednesday, May 19, 2021 :: 10:00 a.m. -12:00 noon :: Pacific Time

This is a live online course. All times for the online lecture are in (California) Pacific Time. Approximately one week before the course start date, all paid students will receive detailed instructions on how to access the web based lecture and course site. You will also receive instructions on how to access the student course notebook. Please make sure we have your updated contact information and you have access to an internet connection for your desktop or laptop on the days and times of the lecture. We recommend you discuss any possible problems or online security issues with your IT person before you register for any online classes. If you're worried about connectivity issues, please contact the online training coordinator, Jenny Grandbois, the week before the class to schedule a time to test your system. If you don't test your system and you have technical issues during a live online class, we will not provide a refund.
Hours:8.00
CEUs:0.80

Online

Online

Nazir Lalani

PE, President- Traffex Engineers Inc., Ventura, CA

Mr. Lalani is the President of a transportation consulting firm that offers a unique blend of transportation, local agency, technical training and expert witness services since 1996. After relocating to the U.S.A. from the UK where he was working for the Greater London Council, Nazir worked for Jefferson County and the City of Lakewood in Colorado, the City of Phoenix, Arizona, the Cities of Santa Rosa as well as Ventura and the Counties of Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. Nazir currently provides consulting services to local agencies ranging from the complete responsibilities of traffic engineering functions to specialized operations such as synchronized signal systems as well as studies designed to improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Until recently, he was the Contract City Traffic Engineer for the Cities of La Quinta, Ojai and Indian Wells in Southern California. He continues to proving consulting traffic engineering services to several local agencies including the City of Palm Desert and the City of Rancho Mirage. For the past 20 years, including at the present time, Nazir has been an instructor of collegiate courses concerning traffic and transportation engineering. He currently presents approximately 30 webinar per year on a variety of transportation and Traffic Engineering topics.


Rock Miller

PE, PTOE, Firm Principal/CEO, Rock E. Miller & Associates, Orange, CA

Mr. Miller is a registered civil engineer and traffic engineer in California and is recognized as a leader in planning and design for complete streets and active transportation, with over 40 years in the transportation profession. Rock is an expert in working through issues posed by working with legacy design guidelines while providing for innovative transportation improvements. He has served as the International President of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and has served on Caltrans and National Traffic Control Devices committees. Rock is also an expert on engineering liability defense and has assisted Caltrans and local agencies in litigation of roadway designs and traffic controls. Rock is also an excellent instructor and has delivered popular classes for Tech Transfer for many years.

Date Day Time Location
05/10/2021Monday10 AM to 12 N Online
05/12/2021Wednesday10 AM to 12 N Online
05/17/2021Monday10 AM to 12 N Online
05/19/2021Wednesday10 AM to 12 N Online

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