MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY AT WORK

Motor Vehicle Safety Initiative

This project coordinates the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety, with the primary goal of furthering prevention of motor vehicle-related incidents among workers across all industry sectors. Currently the project focuses on: (1) implementing the strategic plan for the Center to ensure that NIOSH research and prevention efforts addressing work-related crashes are consistent with priorities outlined in the plan; (2) supporting National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) goals related to occupational motor vehicle safety; (3) evaluating promising interventions designed to reduce vehicle struck-by incidents in road construction work zones; and (4) participating in global activities to promote work-related road safety in support of the United Nations General Assembly resolution proclaiming a Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.

Project Contact: Stephanie Pratt, Ph.D.
Division of Safety Research
sgp2@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2004-2020

Partnering with Industry to Build Safe EMS Work Environments

This project builds on previous NIOSH research aimed at reducing or eliminating vehicle crash-related injuries and fatalities to Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers in ambulance patient compartments. NIOSH research data will be used to directly influence changes to the General Services Administration’s federal specification for the Star-of-Life Ambulance, which governs the design of all ambulances purchased by the U.S. government and most state and local entities. Further, NIOSH is working directly with the Ambulance Manufacturers Division of the National Truck Equipment Association, which represents the builders of 90% of the ambulances built in North America, to expand the consensus safety standards for the patient compartment.

Project Contact: Jim Green
Division of Safety Research
jsg9@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2008-2017

Taxi Driver Survey on Motor Vehicle Safety and Workplace Violence

This study focuses on two of the leading causes of taxicab driver fatalities: motor vehicle crashes and workplace violence. For the motor vehicle safety component, taxi drivers in two U.S. cities respond to a survey designed to collect information on prevalence and frequency of adverse motor vehicle events and injuries, as well as road safety attitudes and behaviors. This information will allow NIOSH researchers to identify and describe the road safety risk factors and protective factors for taxicab drivers. These findings will also contribute to developing prevention initiatives for reducing work-related motor vehicle crashes among taxi drivers.

Project Contact: Cammie Chaumont Menéndez, Ph.D.
Division of Safety Research
fxf8@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2012-2016

Reducing Firefighter Vehicle Crashes: Simulation and Intervention

Excessive speed has been identified as one of the major contributing factors for fire apparatus crashes and overturns. Adapting and using advanced technologies to assist the driver in controlling the speed of fire apparatus in emergency response situations is a promising approach to reduce the risk of fire engine crashes and overturns. This study will generate scientific knowledge and identify design requirements for an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) with “Electronic Horizon” specifically targeted for fire service pumpers and tankers, using a driving simulator and virtual-reality technology. It will also assess the effects of different ADAS features and parameters on the safety performance of experienced and novice drivers during various emergency response situations and driving environments. Vehicle manufacturers and the fire service will use findings to improve the operational safety of fire apparatus.

Project Contact: Peter Simeonov, Ph.D.
Division of Safety Research
pns6@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2012-2016

Evaluation of Commercial Vehicle Active Safety Systems and their Effect on Truck Driver Behavior

This research is being performed in collaboration with the University of Michigan Department of Mechanical Engineering and Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). The main objectives are to analyze the effect of active safety systems on professional truck driver behavior, driver reactions, and safety risk factors. Data from the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems database and the Safety Pilot database is being used. This project focuses on drivers’ responses to lane change warnings, the safety benefits that may result, and the role of active safety system performance in drivers’ real-time responses to those warnings. Results may inform decisions to recommend these types of systems in fleet settings and will also be useful as mirrorless trucks, which use in-cabin video screens instead of external mirrors (for fuel savings), begin to emerge in the marketplace in the next several years.

Project Contact: Christopher Pan, Ph.D.
Division of Safety Research
syp4@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2013-2016

Analysis of Company Fleet Safety Management Data to Guide Research and Prevention

This project addresses the lack of published research on non-fatal work-related crashes in the U.S. and effectiveness of fleet safety management programs. Linked crash, personnel, and vehicle data from a U.S-based fleet will provide detailed information on circumstances, location, crash patterns, and injury experience, and will identify risk factors for motor vehicle-related crashes and injuries. The project will also evaluate the effectiveness of program components. Researchers will use results to propose future experimental studies to test hypotheses related to effective prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes. Organizations will use results to better assess risks in their own fleets and to select the most effective fleet safety program elements.

Project Contact: Stephanie Pratt, Ph.D.
Division of Safety Research
sgp2@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2013-2016

Evaluation of an Occupational Motor-Vehicle Crash Prevention Program in Law Enforcement

This project is evaluating the effectiveness of a comprehensive motor-vehicle crash prevention program in a large metropolitan police department in reducing motor vehicle crashes and injuries due to such crashes. Based on the results, the project team will develop a plan to encourage other law enforcement agencies to replicate elements of the program found to be effective. Project funding is through an interagency agreement with the National Institute of Justice.

Project Contact: Hope M. Tiesman, Ph.D.
Division of Safety Research
HTiesman@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2014-2016

Law Enforcement Officer Motor Vehicle Crash and Struck-by Fatality Investigations: A Pilot Program

This project is using the NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) model to investigate motor vehicle-related occupational fatalities of law enforcement officers in the U.S. These investigations will lead to the development of prevention recommendations to share with law enforcement agencies across the U.S. Project funding is through an interagency agreement with the National Institute of Justice.

Project Contact: Paul Moore
Division of Safety Research
PMoore@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2014-2016

Work Organization Risks to Short-haul Truck Drivers’ Health and Safety

As a complement to the NIOSH U.S. National Survey of Long Haul Truck Driver Health and Injury, this study will investigate work organization and personal factors that contribute to health and safety outcomes in short-haul truck drivers. In addition to publishing results, the research team will develop tailored products that raise awareness of factors that present risks to short-haul drivers’ health and safety. The project is also expected to lead to future intervention evaluation research in this worker population.

Project Contact: Jeannie Nigam, Ph.D.
Division of Applied Research and Technology
JNigam@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2014-2019

Fatigued and Distracted Driving in the Oil and Gas Extraction (OGE) Industry: Risk Factors and Interventions

The primary aims of this research are to describe driving practices among light duty vehicle operators in the OGE industry to gain a better understanding of factors that contribute to fatigue and distraction and ultimately crash risk; quantify and model the association of both fatigue and distraction with different job tasks, time on tasks, shift type, shift length, and work blocks; and examine how data from fatigue detection technologies correlate with data collected through other safety interventions and their relationship with driving habits and operator fatigue.

Project Contact: Edward (Ted) Hitchcock, Ph.D.
Division of Applied Research and Technology
EHitchcock@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2016-2020

Online Training for Law Enforcement to Reduce Risks Associated with Shift Work and Long Work Hours

This project will develop an online training program for law enforcement using expertise from police researchers and trainers. Effectiveness of the training will be assessed through a pre- and post-test pilot study using actigraphy to examine sleep and activity patterns of police officers working night shift before, immediately after, and 6 weeks after they complete the training. After training, officers will also be asked to assess the training for clarity, salience, appeal, persuasiveness, and knowledge retained.

Project Contact: Claire Caruso, Ph.D.
Division of Applied Research and Technology
CCaruso@cdc.gov
Project Period: 2016-2020

Washington Occupational Injury and Illness Surveillance and Prevention Program

This project includes a large component for surveillance of occupational injury and illness in the trucking industry in the state of Washington. Specific aims include: (1) establish a trucking advisory group; (2) publish baseline measures of injuries, trends, and costs; (3) implement an injury surveillance system; (4) develop and implement case and employer follow up protocols; (5) conduct industry-wide surveys of employers and employees; and (6) identify opportunities for interventions to reduce hazards and injuries within trucking.

Project Contact: David Bonauto, M.D.
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
bone235@lni.wa.gov
Project Period: 2010-2020

Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance

The goal of this research is to perform occupational injury and illness surveillance in Kentucky (KY), which ranks as the 14th-worst state for fatal occupational injury rates, and 7th-worst for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses. Industries and occupations targeted in the KY Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance (KOSHS) application include highway incident management and truck transportation injury epidemiology studies and fatality investigations, online truck driver safety training modules, and towing and truck driver tool kits.

Project Contact: Terry Bunn, Ph.D.
University of Kentucky Injury Prevention Research Center
tlbunn2@uky.edu
Project Period: 2005-2020

Work Zone Sign Design for Increased Driver Compliance and Worker Safety

The goal of this research is to develop design standards for dynamic message signs in work zones to reduce the risk of struck-by incidents for construction workers. For these signs to effectively influence speed reduction and compliance in work zones, they must draw the driver’s attention, the driver must decide to process the message of the sign, and the driver must decide to obey the posted speed limit. The specific aim is to determine the impact of sign content, frame refresh rate, and sign placement on driver behavior in work zones. Results may assist in lowering the number of struck-by incidents in work zones by identifying (and eventually implementing) effective sign designs for reducing driver speed and increasing compliance.

Project Contact: Lesley Strawderman, Ph.D.
Mississippi State University
strawderman@ise.msstate.edu
Project Period: 2013-2015

Impact of Eliminating Extended Duration Work Shifts on Resident Health and Safety

This project evaluates the effectiveness of a 16-hour limit on the number of consecutive hours that resident physicians may be scheduled to work in their first postgraduate year— a limit the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education implemented in 2011 based on a recommendation from the Institute of Medicine. Previous research showed that first year resident physicians working extended duration work shifts (>24 hours) were at increased risk of motor vehicle crashes on the commute from work. The new work-hour limit will be evaluated through nationwide surveys of interns that will collect data on work hours, sleep, and health and safety outcomes. Results may have implications for the health and safety of the more than 108,000 medical and surgical residents who are the principal providers of medical care in academic medical centers throughout the U.S.

Project contact: Laura K. Barger, Ph.D.
Harvard University
lkbarger@hms.harvard.edu
Project Period: 2013-2017

Warnings Beacons for Front Line Service Worker Safety

This project intends to improve the visual information from warning beacons used by front line service workers (FLSWs). To address crashes involving FLSWs, several integrated, multidisciplinary studies are being conducted leading to performance specifications for new-generation warning beacons using the latest sensor and light source technologies. The studies aim: (1) to identify the luminous intensity distributions of warning beacons needed to provide visible signals without creating glare under different ambient conditions to support the safety of FLSWs; (2) to identify the temporal and chromatic requirements of warning beacons to convey information about the relative speed and orientation of vehicles around which FLSWs are located; (3) to establish whether synchronizing the frequency and phase of multiple warning beacons would help drivers more quickly and accurately make appropriate decisions to reduce risk exposure of FLSWs; and (4) to confirm the findings from aims 1-3 in closed-track field studies.

Project Contact: Mark S. Rea, Ph.D.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
ream@rpi.edu
Project Period: 2013-2017

Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT) is a searchable database of federally funded biomedical research projects conducted at universities, hospitals, and other research institutions. The RePORT database covers research projects funded from fiscal year 1972 to the present.

More information may also be found at the NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs Web site.