NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY 

STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020–2029 

Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health 
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SUGGESTED CITATION

NIOSH [2020]. NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety Strategic 

Plan, 2020–2029. By Pratt S, Retzer K, Rodríguez-Acosta R, 

Olsavsky R, Fosbroke D. Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2020-126. 

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2020-126 

https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2020126 • June 2020 

2 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 3 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety...........................4 

Background..............................................................................5 

Developing the Plan.............................................................. 7 

How the Plan Will Be Used..................................................9 

Strategies and Tactics......................................................... 10 

Communication Strategies ................................................ 17 

Achieving Impact and Evaluating the Plan.................... 18 

Appendix ................................................................................ 19 
 

 

 

 

 

 

NIOSH CENTER FOR 

MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) includes a 

Lead Team, Steering Committee, researchers, communicators, and others across NIOSH locations. With our partners, 

we conduct research and develop strategies to prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. 

The CMVS Lead Team, with input from the Steering Committee, coordinates research, communication, and policy 

activities in work-related motor vehicle safety by: 

• Setting priorities for NIOSH motor vehicle safety research 

• Helping NIOSH researchers develop strong research proposals to address these priorities 

• Sharing knowledge with CMVS researchers and other NIOSH programs 

• Developing public and private sector partnerships 

• Contributing to NIOSH policy activities related to motor vehicle safety 

• Communicating research results and crash-prevention recommendations to employers, workers, and others 

The CMVS Lead Team prepared this strategic plan, with contributions from the CMVS Steering Committee and 

other NIOSH researchers. 

CMVS LEAD TEAM 

Dawn Castillo, MPH 

Manager 

Stephanie Pratt, PhD 

Director (retired) 

Kyla Retzer, MPH 

Coordinator 

Rosa Rodríguez-Acosta, PhD 

Assistant Coordinator 

David Fosbroke, MSF 

Long Term Planning Coordinator 

Rebecca Olsavsky, MS 

Health Communication Specialist 

CMVS STEERING COMMITTEE 

Anasua Bhattacharya, PhD 

David L. Caruso, MA 

Jonathan E. Friedel, PhD 

Emily J. Haas, PhD 

Edward (Ted) Hitchcock, PhD 

Hongwei Hsiao, PhD 

Joan Karr, PhD 

William (Karl) Sieber, PhD 

Hope Tiesman, PhD 

4 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
 

 

 

BACKGROUND 

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the United States.1 Crashes afect workers in all 

industries and occupations, whether they drive heavy trucks, emergency vehicles, pickup trucks, or cars, and whether 

driving is a primary or occasional part of the job. To address this important worker safety issue, the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) conducts research and develops 

strategies to prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. The CMVS uses a multidisciplinary 

approach to inform and conduct research, evaluate interventions, communicate prevention information, and foster 

partnerships to keep workers safe on the road. 

NIOSH has conducted research on work-related motor vehicle safety for more than 20 years, but a formal structure 

to coordinate this work did not exist until 2010. At that time, NIOSH established the CMVS to strengthen and sustain 

its activities surrounding this safety topic. CMVS researchers across NIOSH work with partners to identify crash risk 

factors, develop and evaluate workplace interventions to prevent crashes and injuries, and share the results with 

employers, workers, and others. 

The CMVS includes a Lead Team, a Steering Committee, and more than 40 team members, all located in NIOSH ofces 

across the U.S. Team members’ expertise includes epidemiology, statistics, engineering, human factors, psychology, 

policy science, economics, occupational safety and health, and communications. 

NIOSH is the only part of the U.S. federal government whose mission includes prevention of 

work-related crashes and resulting injuries for workers who drive all types of vehicles (not just the 

commercial motor vehicles regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation). 

i

The work of the CMVS covers the prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries, which afect 

workers in all industries and occupations. Work-related crashes include: 

• Single- or multiple-vehicle crashes, on or of public roadways, which occur on the job 

• Events in which a pedestrian worker (e.g., a law enforcement ofcer) is struck by a motor vehicle in operation, on 

or of a public roadway 

Although the CMVS follows the U.S. defnition of a work-related crash, which excludes commuting-related crashes, 

CMVS research does consider commuting time and distance as potential risk factors for crashes and injuries. 

From 2014 through 2018, the CMVS followed a 5-year strategic plan for research and prevention, pursuing 5 strategic 

goals: 1) identify risk factors for work-related crashes; 2) apply engineering and technology-based safety interventions; 

3) promote evidence-based policies and practices; 4) share NIOSH research with global partners; and 5) communicate 

safety and policy recommendations. 

In 2016, the CMVS conducted a midcourse review of the plan, which assessed progress on the 5 goals and confrmed 

that original priorities in the plan were still relevant. In 2018, the CMVS evaluated progress on the strategic goals for the 

full 5 years of the plan, sharing the fndings through: 1) an evaluation report; 2) a report of progress on performance 

measures; and 3) 5 “impact stories” that serve as examples of actions, fndings, outputs, and impacts for selected 

populations at elevated crash and injury risk. 

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics [2019]. Table A-2. Transportation incidents and homicides by detailed event or exposure, 2003–2018. 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 5 
The midcourse review and 5-year evaluation are the foundation for this NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety 

Strategic Plan, 2020–2029. As described under “Developing the Plan,” other sources also helped to guide the 

development of this new plan, including the NIOSH Strategic Plan: FYs 2019–2023, planning documents and research 

agendas from organizations whose work is relevant to work-related motor vehicle safety, and the experience and 

expertise of CMVS Lead Team and Steering Committee members. 

6 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
 

 

 

 

 

 

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DEVELOPING THE PLAN 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020–2029 

This plan was developed with input from several sources: 

• Subject matter expertise and knowledge of the research and policy environment, contributed by the CMVS 

Steering Committee and CMVS Lead Team 

• NIOSH Strategic Plan: FYs 2019–2023 

• A formal evaluation of progress on research and prevention goals in the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety 

Strategic Plan for Research and Prevention, 2014–2018 

• Review of activity/output goals from the 2014–2018 strategic plan to assess the need to carry over any goals into 

this strategic plan 

• Review of research agendas and strategic plans from other organizations with interest in work-related motor 

vehicle safety 

• Public comments obtained through a Federal Register Notice, with responses placed in a NIOSH docket 

The CMVS Steering Committee and Lead Team agreed on strategies to guide CMVS research and prevention activities 

for 2020–2029. Using the inputs above, they then developed focused tactics: actions to support each of the strategies. 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 7 
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ROLE OF THE NIOSH STRATEGIC PLAN: FYs 2019–2023 

The NIOSH Strategic Plan: FYs 2019–2023 defned the scope of this NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety 

Strategic Plan, 2020–2029. The NIOSH strategic plan identifes motor vehicle safety research as a priority for 

these four industry sectors: 

Oil and Gas Extraction Public Safety 

Transportation, Wholesale and 

Warehousing, Retail Trade 

and Utilities 

Within these sectors, the NIOSH strategic plan identifes priority safety issues, worker populations, and types of 

research needed. For more information about the relationship between motor vehicle safety topics in the CMVS 

and NIOSH strategic plans, see the Appendix. 

This CMVS strategic plan for 2020–2029 begins with priorities defned in the NIOSH Strategic Plan: FYs 2019–2023, 

but expands on the NIOSH strategic plan in two important ways. First, it provides more specifc guidance on tactics 

needed to achieve the motor vehicle-related goals in the NIOSH strategic plan. Second, it goes beyond segmentation 

of research and communication needs by industry sector to specify strategies and activities that will beneft workers 

in all sectors, refecting the crosscutting nature of work-related motor vehicle safety. 

8 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
 

 

 

HOW THE PLAN WILL BE USED 

This CMVS strategic plan for 2020–2029 serves several purposes: 

• To guide internal NIOSH researchers and program leaders in developing and encouraging development of 

research proposals that align with CMVS and NIOSH priorities 

• To guide external researchers, including those who wish to apply for NIOSH funding, in developing research 

proposals that align with CMVS and NIOSH priorities 

• To inform the research community and other federal agencies of CMVS and NIOSH research priorities, 

encouraging information exchange and collaborations 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 9 
 

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STRATEGY 1 

Strengthen understanding of how risk factors contribute to work-related motor 

vehicle crashes and injuries, and communicate this information to employers, 

workers, and others. 

TARGET ACTION 

Employers, policymakers, standard-setting organizations, and others use NIOSH research 

and communication materials on motor vehicle crash and injury risk factors to develop or 

improve policies, programs, safety interventions, safety standards and regulations, and 

guidance documents. 

1.1 OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION 

Tactic 1.1.1 Identify barriers to seat belt use 

and factors that infuence workers’ decision 

making and adoption of this safety behavior. 

Tactic 1.1.2 Identify and characterize fatiguerelated risk factors that lead to a better 

understanding of the extent to which work organization 

factors (e.g., work hours and schedules) and individual 

factors (e.g., commuting times and distance) infuence 

motor vehicle safety, and crash and injury occurrence. 

Tactic 1.1.3 Identify and characterize sources of 

driver distraction for oil and gas extraction workers 

(e.g., electronic devices) to inform efective 

prevention strategies. 

Tactic 1.1.4 Identify best practices to communicate and 

disseminate information to oil and gas employers and 

workers on safety and health factors linked to motor 

vehicle crash and injury risks. 

1.2 PUBLIC SAFETY 

No related priorities in the NIOSH 

Strategic Plan: FYs 2019–2023 for 

these types of basic/etiologic research 

1.3 TRANSPORTATION, WAREHOUSING, 

AND UTILITIES 

Tactic 1.3.1 Identify and characterize the 

infuence of work organization factors 

(e.g., carrier policies and practices, 

compensation practices, scheduling, 

work hours, uncompensated and unlogged time) for 

commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers on work-related 

crashes and crash-related injuries. 

Tactic 1.3.2 Increase knowledge of how individual driver 

and road user factors (e.g., age; years of experience; 

training; driving practices; health status and behaviors; 

sleep habits; prescription drugs [including opioids], 

illicit drugs, and substances; and road user type [e.g., 

pedestrian, motorcyclist, bicyclist]) impact work-related 

crashes and crash-related injury. 

Tactic 1.3.3 Describe the interaction of driver fatigue and 

distracted driving and its impact on driving performance. 

Tactic 1.3.4 Identify best practices to communicate and 

disseminate information to drivers and carriers on safety 

and health factors associated with crash and injury risks. 

10 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
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STRATEGY 1 

Tactic 1.3.5 Obtain baseline measurements of fatal and 

non-fatal crash and injury occurrence among gig workers, 

whose jobs are linked to a digital online platform (e.g., 

ride sourcing services, e-bike messengers). 

Tactic 1.3.6 Evaluate potential metrics beyond traditional 

rates per million vehicle miles traveled to measure safety 

performance to account for industry-wide changes in trip 

lengths and routes. 

1.4 WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE 

No related priorities in the NIOSH Strategic 

Plan: FYs 2019–2023 for these types of 

basic/etiologic research. 

1.5 ALL SECTORS 

Tactic 1.5.1 Evaluate new sources of data for measuring 

worker exposure to the risk of motor vehicle crashes and 

crash-related injury. 

Tactic 1.5.2 Assess the use and impact of prescription 

and over-the-counter medications on risk of work-related 

crashes and crash-related injury among workers who 

drive on the job. 

Tactic 1.5.3 Identify diferences in safety-related decision 

making when driving on and of the job. Explore rationale 

for any diferences. 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 11 
 

 

 

 

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STRATEGY 2 

Develop and evaluate the efectiveness of engineering and technology-based 

interventions to prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and injuries, and 

advance adoption of these interventions. 

TARGET ACTION 

Employers, manufacturers, standard setting organizations, policymakers, and others use 

NIOSH research results and communication materials to implement efective engineering 

and technology-based interventions, safety standards, and regulations for crash and injury 

prevention. 

2.1 OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION 

Tactic 2.1.1 Assess employee drivers’ 

understanding and use of advanced driver 

assistance systems (ADAS)2 and automated 

driving systems (ADS)3 in feet vehicles. 

Tactic 2.1.2 Develop and evaluate strategies 

to improve employee drivers’ understanding of 

ADAS and ADS in feet vehicles. 

Tactic 2.1.3 Evaluate the efectiveness of in-vehicle 

technologies that detect, warn, and intervene to prevent 

fatigue-related crashes, including employee drivers’ 

acceptance of and response to these technologies. 

2.2 PUBLIC SAFETY 

Tactic 2.2.1 Identify and characterize 

distraction or attentional overload 

associated with aftermarket devices 

installed in law enforcement and 

emergency response vehicles. 

Tactic 2.2.2 Develop engineering and administrative 

control measures to mitigate risks of distraction or 

attentional overload associated with aftermarket 

devices installed in law enforcement and emergency 

response vehicles. 

Tactic 2.2.3 Develop and evaluate interventions to 

improve law enforcement ofcers’ situational awareness 

while handling trafc incidents, including those where the 

ofcer is inside or outside the vehicle. 

Tactic 2.2.4 Identify and evaluate the safety benefts 

of technologies (including vehicle-to-vehicle [V2V]4

 and 

vehicle-to-infrastructure [V2I]5) in law enforcement and 

emergency response vehicles. 

2 Safety technology in vehicles operating at SAE automation levels 0-2, assisting the driver by steering and/or braking/accelerating. ADAS may warn 

the driver of a trafc hazard, brake to avoid a collision, or correct and maintain lane position. Adapted from: ANSI/ASSP [2019]. ASSP Technical 

Report: Management practices for the safe operation of partially and fully automated vehicles (ASSP TR-Z15.3 – 2019). 

3 The hardware and software which together are able to perform the driving task on a sustained basis under certain conditions or for an entire trip, 

without requiring the human driver to monitor the driving environment. An ADS operates at SAE automation levels 3-5. Adapted from: SAE [2016]. 

Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J3016: Taxonomy and defnitions for terms related to driving automation systems for on-road motor vehicles. 

4

 Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication is the wireless exchange of speed, positional, and other data between motor vehicles. 

5 Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication is the wireless exchange of data between vehicles and road infrastructure components such as lane 

markings, road signs, and trafc signals. 

12 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
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STRATEGY 2 

2.3 TRANSPORTATION, WAREHOUSING, 

AND UTILITIES

Tactic 2.3.1 Assess the impact of

automation (including V2V and V2I

technologies) on worker situational 

awareness and engagement while

driving a truck, bus, or taxi.

Tactic 2.3.2 Assess employee drivers’ comprehension 

and use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) 

and automated driving systems (ADS) in commercial

motor vehicles.

Tactic 2.3.3 Develop and evaluate strategies to improve

employee drivers’ understanding of the capabilities of 

ADAS and ADS in commercial motor vehicles. 

Tactic 2.3.4 Evaluate the efectiveness of in-vehicle

technologies to detect, warn, and intervene to prevent

fatigue-related crashes and crash-related injury among

drivers of large trucks.6 

Tactic 2.3.5 Evaluate technology-based interventions to

reduce crash and crash-related injury risks due to fatigue 

or distraction among drivers for hire. 

2.4 WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE 

Tactic 2.4.1 Develop and evaluate

strategies to improve employee drivers’ 

understanding of and adaptation to

advanced driver assistance systems

(ADAS) and automated driving systems 

(ADS) in feet vehicles.

Tactic 2.4.2 Evaluate the efectiveness of in-vehicle

technologies to detect, warn, and intervene to prevent

fatigue-related crashes and crash-related injury among

drivers of large trucks.7 

2.5 ALL SECTORS 

Tactic 2.5.1 Evaluate the efectiveness of humansystems integration designs of specialized work

vehicles to prevent distraction, misjudgment, or fatiguerelated crashes and injuries, including employee

drivers’ acceptance, response, and adaptation to these 

technologies.

Tactic 2.5.2 Compare diferent types of fatigue detection

and warning technologies, considering factors such as

sensitivity, reliability, ability to detect fatigue before its 

symptoms appear, and user acceptability.8 

6 This includes assessing the extent to which these technologies will motivate drivers to stop the vehicle and take a break. 

7

 This includes assessing the extent to which these technologies will motivate drivers to stop the vehicle and take a break. 

8 These technologies may be manufacturer-installed, aftermarket installations, wearables, or app-based. 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 13 
 

 

 

 

0 

STRATEGY 3

Evaluate the efectiveness of motor vehicle safety management programs and 

practices and promote their adoption. 

TARGET ACTION 

Employers, industry associations, standard setting organizations, policymakers, and others use 

NIOSH research results and communication materials to develop and apply efective motor 

vehicle safety management standards, regulations, programs, and practices. 

3.1 OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION 

Tactic 3.1.1 Evaluate strategies to increase 

the use of seat belts among oil and gas 

contract workers.9 

Tactic 3.1.2 Evaluate the use of fatigue risk 

management systems (FRMS) and other 

strategies, including fatigue detection technologies, 

to reduce fatigue and fatigue-related crashes and 

injuries among employees of small businesses and 

well servicing companies. 

Tactic 3.1.3 Evaluate tools to help employers 

align practices in the feld with corporate policies 

(e.g., stop work authority), to ensure efective and 

sustainable administration of interventions and 

enhance safety culture. 

Tactic 3.1.4 Identify ways to reduce barriers (e.g., cost, 

time) to the adoption of effective motor vehicle safety 

interventions, such as in-vehicle monitoring systems 

(IVMS), among employers and workers in small 

businesses and well servicing companies. 

Tactic 3.1.5 Evaluate employers’ and workers’ 

acceptance of cell blocking technologies to reduce 

phone-related distracted driving and distracted driving 

crashes and injuries among oil and gas workers. 

Tactic 3.1.6 Evaluate the impact of varying driver 

compensation systems and dispatching practices on risky 

driving behaviors (e.g., speeding), crashes, and injuries 

for trucks used in the oil and gas industry.10 

3.2 PUBLIC SAFETY 

Tactic 3.2.1 Evaluate the safety 

consequences and cost-beneft of public 

safety agencies’ operational policies on 

crashes and injuries to frefghters, law 

enforcement ofcers, and emergency medical services 

(EMS) workers who are vehicle occupants or pedestrians.11 

Tactic 3.2.2 Identify incentives and barriers to adoption 

of motor vehicle safety policies in public safety agencies, 

comparing fre, law enforcement, and EMS agencies. 

Tactic 3.2.3 Evaluate the efectiveness of intra-shift 

fatigue management strategies such as napping 

and rest breaks on fatigue and crash-related injury 

risk for EMS workers. This includes examining the 

traditional EMS employee 24-hour shift schedule. 

9 Consider incorporating storytelling and neuroscience research on habit change. 

10 Many truck drivers in the industry are paid by the load while others are paid by the hour. Some insurance companies decline to insure those who 

pay by the load. The extent to which these diferent systems are used is unknown, as are the impacts of varying systems of payment. 

11 This might include increasing the number of fre apparatus deployed to fre and incident scenes, or policies that call for frefghters to travel to the

 scene out of gear. 

14 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
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• 

STRATEGY 3 

Tactic 3.2.4 Develop and evaluate policies associated

with installment and use of in-cab communication and

information systems in law enforcement vehicles (e.g., 

mobile data terminals) to minimize potential for distraction 

and attentional overload.

Tactic 3.2.5 Evaluate fatigue risk management systems

(FRMS) and other strategies for law enforcement ofcers.

Tactic 3.2.6 Evaluate trafc incident management

training, policies, and standard operating procedures

used in the towing and recovery industries that might

afect crash-related injury risk for public safety workers 

during roadside or other emergency responses.

3.3 TRANSPORTATION, WAREHOUSING, 

AND UTILITIES

Tactic 3.3.1 Develop and evaluate

fatigue risk management systems

(FRMS) and other strategies for

employers to address fatigue and sleep

disorders and associated crash and

crash-related injury risks among truck drivers employed 

by small carriers (i.e., 10 or fewer trucks). Consider cost 

efectiveness in evaluation.

Tactic 3.3.2 Evaluate the impact of worker health and 

wellness programs (e.g., obesity prevention, physical 

activity, sleep health) on crash and crash-related injury 

risk among truck drivers.

Tactic 3.3.3 Evaluate the efectiveness and cost-beneft

of feet safety and operational strategies (e.g., shift 

scheduling, time of day, route planning, truckload vs 

less-than-truckload) to reduce crash and crash-related

injury risk for truck drivers. 

Tactic 3.3.4 Develop and evaluate evidence-based

motor vehicle safety toolkits and other interventions to

reach drivers for hire (e.g., taxi drivers, gig workers whose 

jobs are linked to a digital online platform), addressing 

key issues such as fatigue, distraction, and compliance 

with trafc laws (e.g., seat belt use).12 

Tactic 3.3.5 Evaluate interventions to reduce the impacts

of the use and misuse of prescription drugs (including

opioids), illicit drugs, and substances on motor vehicle

crashes and related injuries among truckers, taxi drivers, 

and gig workers whose jobs are linked to a digital 

online platform.

3.4 WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE 

Tactic 3.4.1 Develop and evaluate initiatives to reduce

crash and crash-related injury risk among

gig workers who deliver packages and 

groceries, whose jobs are linked to a digital 

online platform.13 

Tactic 3.4.2 Conduct translational

research to determine the most efective ways to reach

small employers in the wholesale sector with motor

vehicle safety information, partnering with workers’ 

compensation and auto insurance carriers.

Tactic 3.4.3 Demonstrate the business case for motor

vehicle safety programs within the wholesale and retail

trade sector. 

12 Reaching this population will require partnerships with key intermediaries that can facilitate cross-cultural communication. 

13 Research in this area should consider seasonal and weather factors that increase demand for driving by this workforce. 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 15 
STRATEGY 3 

ALL SECTORS 

Tactic 3.5.1 Develop and evaluate safety culture 

initiatives to help employers to gain worker and front-line 

management buy-in and compliance with motor vehicle 

safety programs and policies. 

Tactic 3.5.2 Develop and evaluate interventions that 

increase the skills of front-line management to improve 

driver behavior. 

Tactic 3.5.3 Identify and communicate best practices 

for the integration of fatigue risk management systems 

(FRMS) into motor vehicle safety programs and 

occupational safety and health management systems. 

Tactic 3.5.4 Evaluate the implementation of FRMS 

and their impact on drivers’ risk-based decisions 

(e.g., whether or not to rest before driving) prior to 

driving on the job. 

Tactic 3.5.5 Evaluate methods to mitigate the efects 

of cognitive distraction for drivers, including the roles of 

organizational and supervisor communication of relevant 

safety policies. 

16 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 

Research leads to new knowledge, while communication makes that knowledge 

accessible, applicable, and meaningful to a wider audience. The CMVS will use bestpractice communication principles and research results to assist NIOSH and NIOSH-funded 

researchers with translating motor vehicle safety research into practice. 

RTI International conducted an audience analysis in 2017 on behalf of the CMVS to fnd out 

what motor vehicle safety topics and products would be most useful to small businesses, 

which often lack the resources to develop their own safety materials. The study included focus groups of managers 

whose employees and contractors frequently drive for work, representing the four industry sectors emphasized in this 

CMVS strategic plan. Key fndings that apply across sectors are that information should be tailored, brief, simple, and 

visually engaging to capture an audience’s attention. Information that is mobile-friendly or viewed quickly in print format 

is also desirable. 

Insights from NIOSH subject matter experts who have interacted with industry sectors also help CMVS communicators 

understand an audience’s unique communication preferences. The CMVS will continue to foster discussions among 

subject matter experts, communication specialists, industry representatives, and worker representatives to get the 

right message to the right audience in a meaningful way. This is where strategies that tailor content to meet industryspecifc needs come into play. For example, what works for the Public Safety sector might not work for the Oil and Gas 

Extraction sector, and what works for employers might not work for workers. 

These communication strategies integrate lessons learned from the audience analysis by RTI International, consultation 

with subject matter experts, and best-practice communication principles:14 

• Identify the audience. Employers, workers, researchers, and the general public have diferent needs. 

• Learn what is important to the audience. Appeal to what motivates the identifed audience to learn, think, or do. 

• Keep messages short and simple. Focus on a few key messages and use plain language, unless a term is 

commonly known, understood, and used by your audience. For example, "mobile data terminal" (or MDT) can be 

used in messages for the law enforcement community because it is widely understood. 

• Enhance the message with visuals. Add icons, high-quality photos, or other graphics that reinforce the text. 

• Design with the reader in mind. Organize content into short chunks of text, bulleted lists, or other 

easy-to-read formats. 

• End with a call to action. Provide readers with a concrete action step. 

In addition to applying the strategies mentioned above, the CMVS will continue to use multiple communication 

channels and formats and will explore emerging communication practices. 

14 The CMVS refers to guidelines from the CDC Clear Communication Index, plainlanguage.gov, and the Center for Plain Language. 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 17 
ACHIEVING IMPACT AND 

EVALUATING THE PLAN 

The evaluation of this CMVS strategic plan will assess its implementation as intended and its 

infuence on work-related motor vehicle safety research and communication activities supported by 

NIOSH. The evaluation will also describe the impact of NIOSH safety research and communication 

on improving motor vehicle safety in the workplace. 

In evaluating the implementation of this strategic plan, the CMVS Lead Team will consider a 

tactic to have been addressed if there is a corresponding project or product from internal NIOSH 

researchers or external NIOSH-funded researchers. The CMVS Lead Team will track initiation 

and progress of research projects; production of publications and related products; and development, evaluation, 

and adoption of safety interventions and management practices. Projects and products developed during the period 

covered by the strategic plan will be reported by industry and strategy. 

We do not expect that all tactics in this plan will be addressed during the 10-year period. The plan contains a relatively 

long list of tactics, giving NIOSH-funded researchers the opportunity to choose based on their areas of expertise 

and interest. Therefore, infuence of the strategic plan on NIOSH research and communications will be measured 

by the plan’s correspondence with NIOSH and NIOSH-funded projects, products, and interventions, rather than 

implementation of a specifc number of tactics. Since the CMVS strategic plan is intended to give the greater research 

community insight into NIOSH CMVS priorities, the hope is to stimulate project ideas that are pursued and funded by 

organizations outside of NIOSH. The CMVS Lead Team has a limited ability to evaluate this efect because there is 

currently no systematic, cost-efective way to identify decisions made by external organizations based on the CMVS 

strategic plan. 

The CMVS will also assess the impact of NIOSH safety research and communication on improving motor vehicle 

safety in the workplace. To describe impact, the CMVS will develop a series of “impact stories” for selected industries 

and worker groups. These stories will demonstrate progress from identifying research needs; conducting research; 

developing scientifc, technical, and educational products; and communicating key fndings to drive motor vehicle 

safety improvements in the workplace. 

18 NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 

ROLE OF THE NIOSH STRATEGIC PLAN: FYs 2019–2023 

The NIOSH Strategic Plan: FYs 2019–2023 defned the scope of the CMVS strategic plan for 2020–2029 in several ways. 

Industry sectors: In the NIOSH strategic plan, four industry sectors prioritized motor vehicle safety research: Oil and Gas 

Extraction; Public Safety; Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities; and Wholesale and Retail Trade. 

Within each industry sector, priorities are further defned according to: 

• Safety issues: Factors that increase the risk of a crash or injury. Some factors are related to driver behavior, such as 

not using a seat belt or distracted driving. Others are related to work organization, such as method of paying drivers, 

working hours, safety regulations, and employer road safety policies. 

• Worker populations: Those with the greatest burden of crashes or injuries, and whom research could beneft the most. 

• Types of research needed: 

o Basic/etiologic: Builds a scientifc knowledge base for interventions by identifying injury risk factors. This might be 

done through data analysis or laboratory or feld research. 

o Intervention: Develops, tests, or evaluates solutions to a workplace safety problem. Motor vehicle safety 

interventions include engineering controls, administrative changes, safety technologies, and educational campaigns. 

o Translation: Discovers strategies to transform research fndings into tools that can be applied and accepted in the 

workplace. This type of research might also explore why interventions known to be efective are not adopted. 

o Surveillance: Develops new methods and tools to collect and analyze injury data. 

THE NIOSH STRATEGIC PLAN: FYs 2019–2023: INTERMEDIATE GOALS FOR MOTOR 

VEHICLE SAFETY 

Below are intermediate goals for the industry sectors that have prioritized motor vehicle safety, as they appear in 

the NIOSH Strategic Plan: FYs 2019–2023. Achieving an intermediate goal means that NIOSH research results and 

communication activities have led to the transfer of information to key intermediaries who are positioned to take 

actions that will improve motor vehicle safety at work. 

• Oil and Gas Extraction: Professional associations, insurers, employers, workers, and other government agencies use 

NIOSH information to prevent motor vehicle crashes among oil and gas extraction workers. 

• Public Safety: Public safety department management, labor organizations, workers, and consensus standard 

organizations adopt interventions based on NIOSH research to prevent motor vehicle incidents and resulting injuries 

among public safety workers. 

• Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities: Employers, insurers (including workers’ compensation), standard setting 

bodies, other government agencies, manufacturers, professional associations, and labor organizations use NIOSH information to reduce transportation incidents and related injuries among transportation, warehousing, and utilities workers. 

• Wholesale and Retail Trade: Employers, insurers, and workers in the wholesale and retail trades adopt efective 

interventions to prevent injuries due to motor vehicle crashes. 

NIOSH CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN, 2020-2029 19