Transportation Safety
To help reduce the causes and consequences of traffic crashes, Westat has conducted numerous studies
concerning drinking and driving, seat belt use, speeding, and aggressive driving.
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For NHTSA, Westat conducts an ongoing program to measure seat belt and child seat use by conducting the series of observational
field surveys known as the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS). Normally conducted once each year at approximately
2,000 roadway sites during each wave, the survey involves the following:
- Developing a nationally representative sample of sites;
- Digitally mapping and scheduling data collection sites;
- Training more than 120 field data collectors in each wave;
- Observing seat belt, child restraint, and cell phone use;
- Analyzing the data; and
- Reporting regional and national estimates to NHTSA.
Westat also conducts special studies within the NOPUS scope of work, including surveys focused on topics such as restraint use by
drivers of commercial vehicles and use of booster seats by children up to the age of 12.
- For NHTSA, Westat is examining design features and effectiveness of safety belt reminder systems
in promoting belt use. The research includes the following:
- Determining the efficacy of various belt reminder system design features by correlating
results of a nationally representative observational survey of belt use with the
operational characteristics of the belt reminder in each observed vehicle,
- Measuring the acceptability of alternative reminder systems in a driving study using an instrumented
vehicle, and
- Evaluating teen acceptance of additional belt reminder display strategies.
- Westat is developing sampling and data collection methods for the NHTSA pilot study of motorcycle crash causes and
outcomes.
- For NHTSA, Westat is evaluating the effectiveness of social marketing and enforcement programs in
two states to increase seat belt use among young teen drivers through seat belt use provisions in Graduated
Driver License programs.
- Westat is studying the comfort and convenience factors that contribute to seat belt use or non-use among
older occupants of vehicles. The study focuses on both design issues and social marketing
approaches to increase belt use among people age 65 and older.
- In studies for NHTSA and NIAAA, Westat is providing technical assistance for an evaluation of the
effectiveness of an ignition interlock program to reduce recidivism among repeat
drinking-and-driving offenders. For NHTSA, Westat developed improved police procedures to identify impaired
drivers at sobriety checkpoints.
- For NHTSA, Westat is conducting a substantial program of research on speeds, speeding, and other unsafe driving
acts. We have been involved in the following projects:
- Developing guidelines for traffic law enforcement agencies regarding speed enforcement
programs and automated speed enforcement systems operations,
- Evaluating the effect of setting and enforcing rational speed limits in seven sets of
demonstration and comparison communities,
- Evaluating the performance of a fixed-in-place photo speed enforcement system to reduce
excessive speeds on the George Washington Memorial Parkway near Washington, DC,
- Studying the use of automated speed enforcement in school zones and work zones, and
- Developing an automated photo enforcement system to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped
school buses.
- Westat conducted evaluations of the Smooth Operator Program (a regional multijurisdictional
aggressive driving enforcement program), with field measurement of traffic violations and other aggressive
acts.
- Under a NIAAA grant, Westat designed and implemented a large-scale community intervention to prevent driving while
intoxicated. The project combined the following:
- Publicity campaign,
- 24-hour Safe Rides Program for alcohol-impaired drivers,
- Rewards/incentives program for designated drivers, and
- Annual assessments of drinking-and-driving attitudes and behavior.
For more information about the Transportation Research Area,
please send us a message.
