Areas of Expertise
Product Safety
We welcome the chance to stop accidents before they happen. While accident avoidance cannot be guaranteed, we pride ourselves in finding potential safety problems and developing appropriate and cost-effective remedial solutions to them.
Ongoing Projects
National Strategy to Increase Bicyclist Helmet Use
A project that aims to Identify effective strategies that have increased bicyclist helmet use and establish a bicycle safety coalition to inform the development of a national strategy to increase bicyclist helmet use. The study will ask coalition leaders to develop a national strategy and market an all-age bicyclist helmet use law.
Factors that Influence Seat Belt Use
A project for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety being conducted in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago. This project includes a targeted literature review designed to both provide context for the general landscape of seat belt use, obtain insights relevant to the development of a survey instrument, and assist with identifying those factors which are most likely to be associated with seat belt use among motorists. Later phases of the project will include surveys, meetings with experts in the field of seat belt research and identification of countermeasure efforts that are targeted toward those individuals whom the data suggest are less likely to wear seat belts consistently.
Assessing the Fit and Comfort of Motorcycle Safety Gear
A study that seeks to understand the fit and comfort of currently owned gear of motorcycle riders, as well as learn their opinions and attitudes toward wearing certain types of safety gear. This project involves collecting data from motorcycle riders at events and rallies.
Discussions Advancing Research in Transportation Safety (DARTS)
A project that involves planning and holding meetings in the following topic areas: Older Adults’ Mobility, Novice Drivers, Distracted Drivers, Seat Belt Use and Occupant Safety, EMS, Green Labs, and Impaired Vulnerable Road Users. These sessions allow guests to present findings from recently concluded projects, ongoing research activities, and planned projects related to each of the relevant topic areas.
Past Projects
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A project that documented what types of cell phone blocking technologies currently exist, how prevalent they are, and how are they being used. The project involved a pilot study to assess whether it was feasible to employ cell phone blocking technology, collect usage data from drivers’ cellphones, and collect naturalistic driving observations of distracted driving involving cell phones in a larger study.
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A study developing a resource guide that provides access, knowledge, awareness, and tools to diverse communities on adapting motor vehicles for people with disabilities. The resource is intended for the public, people with disabilities, and those who work with people with disabilities to keep road users with disabilities safe on the roadway.
Seat Belt Use State of Knowledge –A project that aimed to: 1) Determine the seat belt use topics of greatest interest and importance to stakeholders; 2) Synthesize the literature on each topic to create a comprehensive reference for occupant safety stakeholders; 3) Provide smaller reports that are non-technical and specialized versions of chapters that are tailored for use by occupant safety stakeholders.
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A project that utilized data from a wide variety of sources including numerous databases from past survey efforts to further understand why certain populations still do not wear seat belts. The study provided a more complete picture of the hard-to-reach seat belt user group.
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A study that generated ideas for potentially successful seat belt program strategies. The findings of past research and previous program experience (both with seat belts and from a far-ranging variety of analogous situations) were integrated into ideas for potentially effective strategies. The project involved in-depth conversations with people who have developed or implemented strategies focused on changing human behavior. Based on these findings, the project created a reference document detailing the identified strategies as well as their level of supporting evidence.
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A project that worked with a team of programmers and university staff to enhance a computer-based training program that teaches drivers hazard anticipation techniques. The field study included drives in live traffic to determine the program’s effectiveness. The study utilized advanced eye-tracking equipment to monitor driver glance behaviors.
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A study that examined the persistence effects of attention maintenance training. The study included the use of a full-cab driving simulator and advanced eye-tracking equipment to monitor driver glance behaviors immediately after training and again 4 months later.