BACKGROUND 

Traffic crashes are a leading cause of workplace injuries and deaths. Total injury costs in 2021 were estimated at $498.3 billion. 

Feelings of safety and security are influenced by workplace culture. Similar to programs through which employees receive information on how to lower blood pressure as a risk factor for heart disease, the workplace can be an effective conduit to share traffic safety information with employees, with the goal of reducing traffic crashes, deaths, and injuries. 

State highway safety offices (SHSOs) have an opportunity to work with employers to help achieve statewide traffic safety goals. However, a gap exists in information regarding effective traffic safety programs delivered in a range of workplaces. Research is needed to fill this gap. 

OBJECTIVE 

The objective of this project is to develop a handbook for practitioners to implement scalable traffic safety education programs in a range of workplaces (e.g., both where driving is and is not a primary employee task, both public-sector and private-sector employers, various types of vehicle fleets, and a range of employee staff sizes).    

RESEARCH PLAN 

The research plan should build in appropriate checkpoints with the BTSCRP project panel, including, at a minimum, (1) a kick-off teleconference meeting to be held within 1 month of the contract’s execution date and (2) one in-person interim deliverable review meeting. An annotated outline for the guide shall be included with the interim report. 

At a minimum, the research shall: 

1. Identify ways to motivate employers to deliver traffic safety programs that focus on behaviors such as (but not limited to) distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and seat belt use. 

2. Identify:

1. traffic safety programs delivered in a diverse range of workplaces that address traffic crashes both on and off the job,

2. implementation processes and challenges, and 

3. the effectiveness of these programs (e.g., reduced crashes, reduced unsafe driving behaviors, documented employee feedback) based on available information and data sources.   

3. Develop a strategy to support the deployment of effective approaches. 

4. Develop actionable program tools (e.g., policy toolkits, infographics, employer-training modules, traffic safety outreach and education materials) for use by SHSOs and other stakeholders to engage workplaces and elevate traffic safety as a priority. The work plan will focus on developing scalable, configurative, and user-friendly materials to support adoption and use by stakeholders. 

The final deliverables will include: 

1. A handbook, 

2. A final research report documenting the entire research effort and findings, 

3. Outreach materials to support practitioners’ understanding and use of the research findings, 

4. Prioritized recommendations for future research, 

5. A PowerPoint presentation with presenter’s notes summarizing the research findings, and 

6. A stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”.

STATUS: Proposals were received in response to the RFP.  Contract award is in progress.