Research & Evaluation
Behavioral Research
Behaviors and Attitudes
NHTSA studies behaviors and attitudes in highway safety, focusing on drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. We identify and measure behaviors involved in crashes or associated with injuries, and develop and refine countermeasures to deter unsafe behaviors and promote safe alternatives.
Our recently published reports and research notes are listed chronologically below. To the right are additional resources including Traffic Techs.
| Title | |
|---|---|
| search results table | |
Diabetes: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses diabetes and its impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888h |
Seizures: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses seizures and their impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888g |
Visual Impairments: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses visual impairments and their impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888f |
Dementia: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses dementia and its impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888e |
Functional Conditions: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses functional conditions and their impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888d |
Sleep Disorders: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses sleep disorders and their impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888c |
Cardiovascular Disease: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses cardiovascular disease and its impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888b |
Cognitive Conditions: Driving-Related Fact Sheet for Medical ProfessionalsThis medical fact sheet discusses cognitive conditions and their impact on driving. It further provides recommendations for clinicians regarding their role in counseling patients about driving safety. For more information go to www.medscape.com. |
DOT HS 812 888a |
COVID-19 and Prehospital Post-Crash Care, TSF, Research NotePost-crash care relies on a safe and healthy emergency medical services (EMS) workforce and is a crucial component of the Safe System Approach and traffic safety. This literature review revealed that EMS professionals were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with impacts to the emergency response environment and the mental health of first responders. This research note briefly describes how the EMS environment and the health of first responders are affected by COVID-19-pandemic-related changes that in turn may affect prehospital post-crash care and motor vehicle crash outcomes. EMS personnel, researchers, traffic safety specialists, and others involved with highway safety programs will find this research note useful regarding motor vehicle crash survivability and pre-hospital post-crash care. |
DOT HS 813 485 |
Impact of Access Management on Driver BehaviorsThis project analyzed data from the Second Strategic Highway Research Program’s Naturalistic Driving Study (SHRP2-NDS) to investigate the effects of roadway designs and access management techniques on driver behavior. The project included a literature review, interviews with subject matter experts, variable selection, data sampling, coding of driving behavior, and analysis. Selecting hesitation and uncertainty at circular intersections as the driving behavior of interest, the project team used traditional statistics and machine-learning to understand 1) when hesitation and uncertainty is most likely, and 2) what contextual variables predict the incidence of hesitation and uncertainty. The team found hesitation or uncertainty most common during entry at circular intersections, and that driver age and engagement in secondary tasks (e.g., eating, cell phone usage) the most important predictors of hesitation or uncertainty. These findings suggest further development and dissemination of educational or informational materials could mitigate drivers’ hesitation or uncertainty in circular intersections and thereby improve traffic safety. |
DOT HS 813 440 |