Andrew Hellinger

Andrew Hellinger

I work where public health meets transportation safety. For more than eight years at Johns Hopkins, I have studied how transportation systems shape people's health and turned that evidence into programs and policy that make getting around safer, whether you're driving, walking, biking, or rolling.

I see the world through a public health lens, where transportation itself is a social determinant of health. Many American communities are built on the scale of the car, with homes, businesses, and schools spaced too far apart to reach on foot. These communities often lack reliable transit, protected bike lanes, and connected sidewalks, making driving necessary to reach essentials like work, school, and healthcare. Yet driving carries its own health risks, from exposure to pollutants and stress to life-altering injury or death in a crash. That is why I am drawn to human-scaled street design and the Safe System approach, which designs roads around human error so that a mistake does not cost a life.

My mission is also shaped by personal experience. When I first moved to DC in 2021, I was dependent on my car, but I came to appreciate how convenient and enjoyable Metro, Metrobus, Capital Bikeshare, and the city's growing network of bike lanes made getting around. Eventually, I decided to sell my car, and living car-free has since shown me firsthand how good transportation design can empower all road users, not just drivers, to reach their destinations safely and efficiently.

What I bring:

• Program management: administrative and financial lead for a $5.3 million NHTSA cooperative agreement, managing budgets, partner organizations, and deliverables.
• National evidence-based trainings: plan and manage the U.S. Safe System Academy, an annual week-long training that brought together 67 road safety experts, advocates, and practitioners from 8 countries in 2026.
• Evidence for policymakers: led a review of 300+ studies on street design and safety for Baltimore City, and first-authored a published evaluation of Baltimore's e-scooter equity policies.
• Data analysis: R, Python, and SQL.
• Communication: 11 peer-reviewed articles, a National Academies TRB report, and talks at the TRB Annual Meeting and the Lifesavers Conference; helping write ITE guidance on Safe System approach resources for non-technical audiences.

I am always glad to connect with planners, engineers, advocates, and public servants working toward safer streets for every road user.