NHTSA: People: Injury Prevention: Research and Evaluation Program

The Research and Evaluation program conducts research and evaluation projects dealing with behaviors and attitudes in highway safety. Program focus is on drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists and their role in the traffic safety. Laboratory and field studies are conducted to identify and measure behaviors involved in crashes or associated with injuries. Scientific research is conducted to develop and refine countermeasures to deter unsafe behaviors and promote safe alternatives. Evaluation projects are designed and implemented to test countermeasure effectiveness in the real world. Program efforts are focused in the folowing areas: alcohol-impaired driving, drug-impaired driving, occupant protection (including child safety seats), speed and aggressive driving, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, motorcyclist safety, older driver safety, improving emergency medical services, drowsy driving and new driver safety.

What's new in Research and Evaluation Program?


Further Analysis of Drivers Licensed with Medical Conditions in Utah (03-27-01) This is a follow-up to an earlier study on Utah's Medical Conditions licensing program. In this study, different levels of restrictions within the conditions were examined as they relate to citations, crashes, and at fault crashes. Multiple medical conditions were also evaluated.
Automotive Collision Avoidance System Field Operational Test (First Annual Report) Also available in .pdf (03-01)
The Relative Frequency of Unsafe Driving Acts In Serious Traffic Crashes (Summary Technical Report) (01-01) Also available in .pdf This study was conducted to determine the specific driver behaviors and unsafe driving acts (UDAs) that lead to crashes, and the situational, driver and vehicle characteristics associated with these behaviors.
Automotive Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS) Program Also available in .pdf (01-01) Age of Drinking Onset, Driving After Drinking, and Involvement in Alcohol-Related Motor Vehicle Crashes (01-01) This study assessed whether people who begin drinking at younger ages are more likely to report drunk driving and alcohol-related crash involvement during their life, even after controlling for alcohol dependence and other personal characteristics associated with the age respondents started drinking.

Age of Drinking Onset and Unintentional Injury Involvement After Drinking (01-01) This study assessed whether persons who begin drinking at younger ages are more likely to report unintentional injuries under the influence of alcohol.