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.

211 Results

Title

Young Drivers Report the Highest Level of Phone Involvement in Crash or Near-Crash Incidences	DOT HS 811 611
Four High-Visibility Enforcement Demonstration Waves in Connecticut and New York Reduce Hand-Held Phone Use	DOT HS 811 845
High Visibility Enforcement Demonstration Programs in Connecticut and New York Reduce Hand-Held Phone Use	DOT HS 811 376
Evaluation of NHTSA Distracted Driving Demonstration Projects in Connecticut and New York The communities of Hartford, Connecticut, and Syracuse, New York, implemented year-long campaigns to test whether NHTSA's high-visibility enforcement (HVE) model could be applied to reduce two specific forms of distracted driving – driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone or texting.	DOT HS 811 635
Breath Test Refusal Rates in the United States – 2011 Update Breath alcohol concentration (BAC) test refusals by suspect- ed impaired drivers are a challenge for impaired driving enforcement and prosecution. Periodically, NHTSA gathers data on State BAC refusal rates and develops an estimated national rate. This information can be useful to States and local jurisdictions. It enables them to track changes over time and compare their rates to other States and the Nation as a whole. NHTSA developed previous estimates for 1987, 2001, and 2005.	DOT HS 811 881
The Click It or Ticket Evaluation, 2012	DOT HS 811 989
DWI Recidivism in the United States: An Examination of State-Level Driver Data and the Effect of Look-Back Periods on Recidivism Prevalence	DOT HS 811 991
Demonstration of the "Trauma Nurses Talk Tough" Seat Belt Diversion Program in North Carolina The results of this study support the combination of high-visibility enforcement and a diversion classroom-based brief intervention as a means of increasing seat belt use in a predominately rural, low-belt-use area.	DOT HS 811 873
Bicycle Safety Education for Children From a Developmental and Learning Perspective This report describes the nature of children and adolescents' bicycle injuries in addition to understanding the types of programs that exist and their effectiveness. It also explores the psychological domains related to riding a bicycle in childhood and adolescence such as motor skill development, cognitive development, brain development, and risk-taking and social influences.	DOT HS 811 880
Washington's Target Zero Teams Project: Reduction in Fatalities During Year One	DOT HS 811 687

Behaviors and Attitudes

Young Drivers Report the Highest Level of Phone Involvement in Crash or Near-Crash Incidences

Four High-Visibility Enforcement Demonstration Waves in Connecticut and New York Reduce Hand-Held Phone Use

High Visibility Enforcement Demonstration Programs in Connecticut and New York Reduce Hand-Held Phone Use

Evaluation of NHTSA Distracted Driving Demonstration Projects in Connecticut and New York

Breath Test Refusal Rates in the United States – 2011 Update

The Click It or Ticket Evaluation, 2012

DWI Recidivism in the United States: An Examination of State-Level Driver Data and the Effect of Look-Back Periods on Recidivism Prevalence

Demonstration of the "Trauma Nurses Talk Tough" Seat Belt Diversion Program in North Carolina

Bicycle Safety Education for Children From a Developmental and Learning Perspective

Washington's Target Zero Teams Project: Reduction in Fatalities During Year One