NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle 

Safety

Strategic Plan for Research and 

Prevention, 2014-2018 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
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Suggested Citation

NIOSH [2014]. NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety: Strategic plan for research and 

prevention, 2014-2018. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2014–122.

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2014–122

May 2014

SAFER • HEALTHIER • PEOPLETM
iii

Foreword

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is pleased to present the 

NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety: Strategic Plan for Research and Prevention, 2014–

2018. The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety is the Institute’s focal point for research 

and prevention of motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the 

United States. Although NIOSH has been engaged in research and partnerships to promote 

motor vehicle safety in the workplace for many years, the creation of the Center signals the 

elevation of motor vehicle safety to a priority area for the Institute.

Millions of workers in the United States are exposed to hazards of motor vehicle traffic, as 

vehicle operators, passengers, or pedestrians. For some of these workers, notably drivers of 

large trucks and buses, federal safety regulations provide a level of protection through rules 

that govern hours of driving, vehicle inspection, load safety, fitness to drive, and numerous 

other areas. For many other workers, especially those who operate light vehicles, safety 

regulations that cover driving for work are limited. Whatever the regulatory environment, 

the safety of workers who drive on the job is a responsibility shared by many ̶ employers, 

workers, policy makers, vehicle manufacturers, and the research community. The efforts of 

all these stakeholders are critical if we are to make meaningful progress in reducing the 

burden of work-related crashes. 

This strategic plan for the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety is being used to advance 

understanding of the risk factors that place workers at risk of work-related motor vehicle 

crashes, evaluate a range of interventions to reduce these risks, and develop and 

communicate research-based prevention information to employers, workers, and other 

stakeholders. NIOSH is the only U.S. federal agency whose mission encompasses prevention 

of work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries for all worker populations. 

Recognizing the responsibility that comes with this role, NIOSH will work with partners to 

respond to emerging issues and provide research-based guidance so that those who work in 

or near motor vehicles come home safely at the end of their work day.

John Howard, M.D.

Director, National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
iv

Executive Summary

The risk of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) associated with on-the-job operation of motor 

vehicles or exposure to road traffic hazards affects millions of workers in the United States, 

and this risk cuts across all industries and occupations. MVCs are consistently the leading 

cause of worker fatalities, affecting workers who drive all types of motor vehicles during 

their work day ̶ passenger cars, heavy trucks, fire apparatus, and many others.

A wide variety of interventions may be applied to prevent work-related MVCs: 

administrative controls such as seat belt policies, distracted-driving policies, pre-trip 

vehicle checks, driver training, reduced travel, and fatigue management; and engineering 

controls such as more crashworthy vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems, or active 

safety systems. Questions remain as to which are the most effective interventions to protect 

workers from risks of work-related MVCs. Through strategic planning, research, 

collaborations with stakeholders, and communication of research results and prevention, 

the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is working to ensure that 

recommended solutions to prevent work-related MVCs and resulting injuries are based on 

sound research and are clearly communicated to employers and workers.

NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety

The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) is the focal point for activities within the 

Institute that address this pressing occupational safety problem. The CMVS was designated 

in December 2010 to strengthen and sustain the Institute’s research and prevention 

activities to reduce work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. It is a 

“virtual” Center through which researchers from across the Institute and external partners 

from government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, labor, and industry 

bring complementary expertise to identify crash risk factors, develop and evaluate 

workplace interventions to prevent crashes, and communicate the results to employers and 

other stakeholders. The NIOSH CMVS is guided by the vision that: All workers who are 

exposed to hazards of motor vehicle traffic while working have the highest possible 

levels of protection from the risk of motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. 

The primary purpose of the 5-year strategic plan for the NIOSH CMVS is to define the 

priority areas for research and prevention initiatives through 2018. In addition, this 

strategic plan provides performance measures by which the success of CMVS activities will 

be measured. The plan also articulates the vision, mission, guiding principles, and scope for 

the CMVS, placing the Center’s work in the context of the work of other U.S. federal agencies, 

NGOs, and international partners. 
v

Strategic Plan

The development of this strategic plan was guided by the Haddon Matrix, a framework 

which sees the driver, the vehicle, and the environment as key points for intervention. For 

purposes of work-related motor vehicle safety, policies and programs were identified as 

another key area for intervention because of the substantive role of employer policies in 

establishing conditions for operation of motor vehicles in the workplace. The following five 

strategic goals form the foundation for this strategic plan:

Strategic Goal 1: Advance understanding of risk factors associated with work-related 

motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries through epidemiologic analyses to guide 

research and prevention strategies.

Strategic Goal 2: Reduce the incidence and severity of work-related motor vehicle 

crashes by implementing engineering and technology-based safety interventions and 

studying the positive or negative safety consequences of new technologies installed 

in vehicles.

Strategic Goal 3: Reduce the incidence and severity of work-related motor vehicle 

crashes through the implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based road safety 

management policies and interventions.

Strategic Goal 4: Reduce work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries 

globally through national and international collaborations on occupational motor 

vehicle safety research and guidance.

Strategic Goal 5: Enhance availability of clear and concise guidance and informational 

products on the prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting 

injuries.

Through this strategic plan for 2014–2018, NIOSH will use its resources and work with our 

partners efficiently and effectively to reduce the risk of MVCs and injuries to workers who 

drive on the job. To assess progress toward the goals laid out in this strategic plan, the 

NIOSH CMVS will undertake a mid-course review, to be completed by the end of 2016. With 

input from government, the private sector, NGOs, researchers, and international partners, 

the NIOSH CMVS will continue to advance its mission to: Conduct research, evaluate 

interventions, communicate prevention information, and foster partnerships to 

protect workers from work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries.
vi

Contents

NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety: Strategic Plan for 

Research and Prevention, 2014-2018 

Foreword ..................................................................................................................................iii

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. iv

Authors .................................................................................................................................... vii

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................. vii

Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1

The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety............................................................................ 1

Work-related motor vehicle safety: Background and significance .......................................... 3

Integration with other NIOSH, CDC, and DHHS initiatives .....................................................4

How this report was developed ................................................................................................5

Scope of the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety..............................................................5

Prevention of motor vehicle crashes .......................................................................................5

Work-related crashes and commuting-related crashes ...........................................................5

Occupational focus .................................................................................................................6

Priority vehicle types, industries, and occupations..................................................................6

Role of health-related factors ................................................................................................. 7

Missions of other federal agencies .......................................................................................... 7

Role of non-governmental stakeholders .................................................................................9

Alignment with global initiatives.............................................................................................9

Framework for goal development .......................................................................................... 10

NIOSH motor vehicle safety projects placed in the modified Haddon Matrix ...................... 12

Goals for the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety ........................................................... 14

Monitoring progress toward achieving goals .........................................................................24

References ...............................................................................................................................25

Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 27
vii

Authors

This report was written by Stephanie Pratt, Rosa Rodríguez-Acosta, Andrea Okun, and 

Hongwei Hsiao. Drs. Pratt, Rodríguez-Acosta, and Hsiao work in the NIOSH Division of 

Safety Research, and Dr. Okun is based in the Office of the Director, NIOSH.

Acknowledgments

The following NIOSH scientists and managers also contributed to the report: Dawn Castillo, 

James Collins, Edward Hitchcock, Ryan Hill, Emily Haas, Kyla Retzer, Leslie Nickels, and 

Vern Anderson.

David Sleet, PhD of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention provided review and comments on the report on behalf 

of NCIPC.

The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety acknowledges the contributions of Vanessa 

Williams for her graphic design services. 

In addition, it expresses special appreciation to these individuals and organizations for their 

review and comments:

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

Matthew P. Reed, PhD

David J. LeBlanc, PhD

James R. Sayer, PhD

John Woodrooffe, MSE

Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, Queensland University of Technology

Barry Watson, PhD

National Safety Council

Sergey Sinelnikov, MPH

Jim Johnson

Ken Kolosh
1

NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety: Strategic 

Plan for Research and Prevention, 2014-2018

Introduction

The risk of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) associated with on-the-job operation of motor 

vehicles or exposure to road traffic hazards affects millions of workers in the United States. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the only federal agency 

whose mission encompasses the prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes and 

resulting injuries for all worker populations, work vehicles, and work settings. NIOSH is 

part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, within the Department of Health and 

Human Services. The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) is the focal point for 

activities within the Institute that address this pressing occupational safety problem.

The primary purpose of this five-year strategic plan is to define the priority areas for CMVS 

research and prevention initiatives through 2018. In addition, this strategic plan provides 

performance measures by which the success of CMVS activities will be measured. The plan 

also articulates the vision, mission, guiding principles, and scope for the CMVS, placing the 

Center’s work in the context of the work of other U.S. federal agencies, non-governmental 

organizations, and international partners. 

The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety

NIOSH is the federal agency charged with conducting research and developing 

recommendations to prevent all kinds of work-related injury and illness. Over its more than 

40 years of existence, NIOSH has built the technical knowledge, understanding of workplace 

dynamics, and stakeholder relationships that are critical to successfully conducting 

research and transferring research and recommendations into improved practice in the 

workplace. 

Although NIOSH has conducted research on work-related motor vehicle safety for more 

than 15 years, only recently was a formal structure established to coordinate this work. The 

NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) was designated in December 2010 to 

strengthen and sustain the Institute’s research and prevention activities to reduce workrelated motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. It is a “virtual” Center through which 

researchers from across the Institute and external partners from government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), academia, labor, and industry bring complementary 

expertise to identify crash risk factors, develop and evaluate workplace interventions to 

prevent crashes, and communicate the results to employers and other stakeholders. The 
2

Center is hosted by the NIOSH Division of Safety Research, but researchers from across the 

Institute are involved in research projects tied to the Center and participate in setting its 

direction. One of the three strategic goals for all of NIOSH is to “enhance international 

workplace safety and health through global collaborations.” In light of strong momentum 

globally among governments, businesses, and NGOs to improve road safety, the CMVS 

works with international partners to reduce the toll of MVCs and injuries on workers 

worldwide.

VISION

MISSION

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

All workers who are exposed to hazards of motor vehicle traffic while working 

have the highest possible levels of protection from the risk of motor vehicle 

crashes and resulting injuries. 

The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety uses a multidisciplinary approach to 

conduct research, evaluate interventions, communicate prevention 

information, and foster partnerships to protect workers from work-related 

motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. 

For optimum use of resources and greatest potential for impact, the NIOSH Center for 

Motor Vehicle Safety will:

• Maintain awareness of current research conducted elsewhere in the federal government 

and in other settings to avoid duplication of effort and identify opportunities for 

collaboration

• Leverage resources to add value and to facilitate the motor vehicle injury prevention efforts 

of partners and stakeholders in industry, government, labor, academia, and nongovernmental organizations

• Target motor vehicle crash risks for high-risk worker groups and for the broader population 

of workers exposed to hazards of motor vehicle traffic

• Communicate research findings and recommendations to stakeholders who are positioned 

to take action to improve motor vehicle safety in the workplace

• Encourage stakeholders to undertake evaluations of existing and innovative strategies 

designed to enhance work-related road safety

 
3

Work-related motor vehicle safety: Background and 

significance

Fatality data show that across all industries, motor vehicle-related incidents are 

consistently the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the United States, and they are 

the first or second leading cause in every National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA)1

industry sector. Of 47,718 work-related fatalities reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

between 2003 and 2011, 17,037 (36%) were associated with motor vehicles.2 The toll for 

this 9-year period included:

• 11,305 deaths in single- or multiple-vehicle crashes on public roadways 

• 2,709 deaths in crashes that occurred off the highway or on industrial premises

• 3,023 pedestrian worker deaths as a result of being struck by a motor vehicle

Crash-related fatalities and serious injuries have a devastating impact on workers and their 

families, and on the economic health and productivity of American businesses. For crashrelated injuries in 2011 requiring more than 6 days away from work, workers’ 

compensation costs alone were estimated to be $2.4 billion [Liberty Mutual 2013]. This 

figure underestimates the true economic burden of work-related motor vehicle crashes as it 

does not account for societal costs. Work vehicles also have an impact on the safety of the 

motoring public. For example, although motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of 

fatality for truck drivers, these events result in far more fatalities of other road users. 

In low- and middle-income countries, work-related road safety may receive little attention 

from policy makers or data collectors. However, for several reasons, it is likely that the 

burden of injuries and fatalities from work-related crashes is greater than in high-income 

areas such as the United States, Europe, and Australia. In lower-income countries, 

regulatory and management systems are comparatively weak, vehicles and road 

infrastructure are less safe, and more road users are vulnerable persons such as 

pedestrians, motorcyclists, and pedalcyclists. In these settings, death, disability, or injury of 

a family wage earner due to road traffic injury, in addition to causing physical and 

emotional pain and suffering, creates economic hardship for the injured worker and family 

members that may persist well beyond the event. The loss of a vehicle that is critical to 

earning a living can have long-term effects on a family’s well-being. 

Public and private sector organizations around the world whose employees drive for work 

purposes need wide-ranging, evidence-based solutions and guidance to prevent motor 

vehicle crashes and resulting fatalities and injuries. In some instances, effective 

interventions are known, and the challenge is to increase awareness and promote their

 1

The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) is a public-private partnership developed by 

NIOSH which brings together industry-specific stakeholders to address the most pressing occupational 

safety and health problems in their sectors.

2 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics online query system at http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/dsrv?fi
4

adoption by employers and workers. Conversely, other interventions have been adopted by 

a number of employers, but their effects on crash and injury prevention have not yet been 

established through rigorous evaluation. In still other cases, there is a need for more basic 

laboratory research to develop new interventions.

Employers have the opportunity to leverage the employer-employee relationship to 

complement and enforce government policies that will reduce work-related crashes and 

injuries. Safe-driving policies implemented in the workplace can promote safer driving for 

workers and family members away from work. In addition, employers, as purchasers of 

large fleets of vehicles, can spur improvements in vehicle safety and encourage 

development of road safety capacity and legislation in the local areas and countries in which 

they operate, thereby improving road safety for all. 

Integration with other NIOSH, CDC, and DHHS initiatives

Prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes is a component of the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) Winnable Battle for prevention of motor-vehicle injuries 

(http://www.cdc.gov/WinnableBattles/MotorVehicleInjury/). The Winnable Battles denote 

CDC’s public health priorities for the Nation. In addition, the prevention of motor vehicle 

crashes is a priority for many NORA sector and cross-sector programs, including: 

Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities; Wholesale and Retail Trade; Oil and Gas 

Extraction; Public Safety; Traumatic Injury; Prevention through Design; and Global 

Collaborations.

The NIOSH topic page on motor vehicle safety provides current data and links to NIOSH 

publications on the topic (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/motorvehicle/). This page is 

also the portal to the NIOSH CMVS sub-page, which provides short descriptions of ongoing 

intramural and extramural research projects on motor vehicle safety

(http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/motorvehicle/NCMVS.html).

Within CDC, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) has a major

role in motor vehicle safety. NCIPC is responsible for injury prevention initiatives for the 

general population, but does not specifically address work-related motor vehicle injuries. 

Its current priorities for motor vehicle safety are to promote the use of seat belts and 

helmets, improve the safety of teen drivers, and reduce alcohol-involved crashes. The 

NIOSH CMVS also addresses these issues with respect to the occupational context. 

At the level of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Healthy People 

2020 initiative has several objectives for injury and violence prevention (IVP), occupational 

safety and health (OSH) and sleep health (SH) that are relevant to work-related road safety 

[Department of Health and Human Services 2013]:

• OSH-1: Reduce deaths from work-related injuries (includes sub-objectives for high-risk 

industry sectors for work-related motor vehicle crashes, including transportation and 

warehousing [OSH-1.4]).
5

• OSH-2: Reduce nonfatal work-related injuries. 

• SH-1: Increase the proportion of persons with symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea who 

seek medical evaluation.

• SH-2: Reduce the rate of vehicular crashes per 100 million miles traveled that are due to 

drowsy driving.

• IVP-13: Reduce motor vehicle crash-related deaths.

• IVP-14: Reduce nonfatal motor vehicle crash-related injuries.

• IVP-15: Increase use of safety belts.

How this report was developed 

This report was developed by a task group made up of leaders of the NIOSH CMVS, a subset 

of members of the internal Steering Committee that guides the work of the CMVS, and 

additional NIOSH scientists with expertise in strategic planning and subject-matter 

knowledge important to the formulation of specific goals. The individuals who contributed 

to the development of this strategic plan are identified in the Acknowledgements section of 

this report and represent six different NIOSH Divisions, Laboratories, and Offices.

Stakeholders were offered the opportunity to comment on earlier drafts of this report via a 

notice in the Federal Register, and a docket was established. In addition, key stakeholder 

agencies and associations were contacted directly to request their review. Finally, the 

report was reviewed by external subject-matter experts in motor vehicle safety. These 

individuals and organizations are noted in the Acknowledgments section of this report. 

Scope of the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety

Prevention of motor vehicle crashes

The scope of the CMVS encompasses prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes 

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

• single- or multiple-vehicle crashes, on or off public roadways, which occur on the job 

• events in which a pedestrian worker (e.g., a highway construction worker) is struck by 

a motor vehicle in operation, on or off a public roadway

A motor vehicle is defined here as a motorized conveyance designed primarily to transport 

goods or passengers. This includes cars, trucks, vans, and motorcycles used for workrelated purposes. Events involving all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or mobile equipment or 

machinery (e.g., forklifts, manlifts, cranes) are included, but only if that equipment is in 

transport, i.e., being driven from one location to another on a public roadway.

Work-related crashes and commuting-related crashes

Under the definitions used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other statistical agencies in 

the United States, work-related crashes are limited to those that occur in the performance of 
6

work duties, e.g., transporting goods or passengers, making client visits or sales calls, or 

traveling to meetings. Crashes that occur while commuting to or from work are not 

included. Although crashes which occur while commuting are found in the crash data 

systems that cover the general population, they are not identified there as work-related 

crashes. 

Despite their exclusion under the current U.S. definition for work-related crashes, 

commuting will be considered within the scope of the CMVS under limited circumstances. 

On-the-job driving does not take place in a vacuum; what takes place during the work day 

may well influence the safety of a worker’s commute via motor vehicle, and the reverse. The 

effects of lengthy commutes on the risk of crashes or occupational injuries during the work 

day are unknown. Similarly, little research has addressed the effects of long work hours on 

the safety of workers on their commutes home [Barger et al. 2005]. 

Occupational focus

The Center will limit its focus to projects and initiatives that are directly related to worker

safety. There are other government agencies at both the federal and state level that have 

direct responsibility for road safety for the general public. Research results from the larger 

road safety community are likely to have indirect “spillover” effects on worker safety; in 

other words, whatever improves motor vehicle safety for all will likely also improve motor 

vehicle safety for workers. However, these general lines of research are more appropriately 

left to other agencies and partners. NIOSH benefits from the experience and expertise of 

these entities, but given the limited resources of the Institute, the NIOSH CMVS will 

maintain its focus on work-related road safety.

Priority vehicle types, industries, and occupations

The Center will address work-related motor vehicle safety at four levels: the traditional 

triad of the human, the vehicle, and the environment used by the road safety community, 

with the addition of “policies/programs” to account for the major role of employer actions 

in influencing safety outcomes for workers. This is discussed in more detail below under 

“Framework for Goal Development.” In general, the Center will assign highest priority to 

research and prevention activities for the benefit of workers in industries and occupations 

at highest risk of crashes and fatalities, e.g., drivers of heavy trucks and buses, fire fighters, 

emergency medical services workers, law enforcement officers, and oil and gas extraction 

workers. To complement this focus on high-risk populations, prevention recommendations 

which are applicable to all workers who drive on the job will be communicated to a wide 

audience of workers, employers, and other stakeholders. 

Research focused on the vehicle itself will emphasize those vehicles that are manufactured 

and driven exclusively for work applications. Technological changes associated with heavy 

vehicles that transport freight and passengers are accelerating, and rich new sources of data 

from instrumented vehicles and roads present opportunities for the Center. The Center will 

strengthen research relationships with the manufacturers, university-based research 

institutes, government agencies, and private-sector laboratories and consultants whose 
7

work is focused on the safety of these vehicles. In addition, the Center will emphasize 

human factors engineering and technology-focused research related to the safe operation of 

other specialized work vehicles such as fire apparatus, police vehicles, and emergency 

response vehicles.

The Center’s research will not address passenger vehicles from an engineering standpoint 

because these are not built primarily for work purposes. The operation of passenger 

vehicles and other light vehicles in the workplace is nonetheless an important safety issue. 

Of the workers who died in motor vehicle crashes on public highways in 2011, 57% were in 

occupational groups other than “Bus Driver” or “Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver.” 3 

For these workers who are largely uncovered by occupational safety regulations for 

workplace driving, research supported by the Center will focus on employer-based policies, 

administrative and technological controls, training, economic impacts, and other factors 

related to crashes, injuries, and ways to reduce their incidence or severity.

Role of health-related factors

In many instances, antecedent health-related factors (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea, impaired 

vision, obesity, use of prescription or nonprescription medications) exacerbate crash or 

injury risk. Research that will lead to reduction of health-related risk factors for workrelated crashes and injuries is within the scope of the Center. However, the link between 

antecedent health-related factors and work-related crashes or resultant injuries must be 

clearly demonstrated. 

Missions of other federal agencies

NIOSH is a comparative newcomer to motor vehicle safety research. Other federal agencies, 

particularly those in the U.S. Department of Transportation, conduct and/or fund wellestablished research programs through their legislatively-mandated regulatory roles. 

When worker safety is a consideration, the missions and interests of the agencies within the 

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) often intersect with those of NIOSH:

• The primary mission of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is 

to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. To this end, FMCSA 

develops and enforces safety regulations on the operation of large freight- and 

passenger-transporting vehicles, and supports research and initiatives to improve safety 

information systems, commercial motor vehicle technologies, commercial motor vehicle 

equipment and operating standards, and safety management and awareness. FMCSA 

rulemaking and programs are informed by the work of federally-funded research centers 

and university transportation institutes. The NIOSH CMVS collaborates with FMCSA and 

its research partners to advance prevention of injuries and fatalities of commercial 

motor vehicle drivers.

 3

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics [2013]. TABLE A-6. Fatal occupational injuries resulting from 

transportation incidents and homicides by occupation, All U.S., 2011. 

http://stats.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cftb0264.pdf
8

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) works with the states 

to develop and implement educational and enforcement initiatives related to vehicle 

occupant protection, drunk and drugged driving, graduated driver licensing, the mobility 

of older persons, distracted driving, and other issues. NHTSA also develops guidelines on 

topics such as interfaces for in-vehicle electronics, and develops the Federal Motor 

Vehicle Safety Standards (FVMSS) applicable to vehicles manufactured for sale or use in 

the United States. Many of the behavioral issues within NHTSA’s purview are relevant to 

workplace driving. The NIOSH CMVS addresses these issues in the context of unique 

occupational applications. 

• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides stewardship over the 

construction, maintenance and preservation of the Nation’s highways, bridges and 

tunnels, conducting research and providing technical assistance to state and local 

agencies in an effort to improve safety, mobility, and livability. FHWA oversees the 

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which provides engineering and safety 

guidance for setting up highway construction work zones and placing temporary traffic 

control for emergency incidents on roadways. NIOSH’s worker-protection role coincides 

with FHWA’s in two areas: the protection of the workers who build and maintain roads, 

and the protection of emergency responders who manage incidents on roadways. For 

these groups of workers, NIOSH has a role to play with respect to design of work areas, 

development of safe work processes, and development and testing of personal protective 

equipment.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency 

charged by Congress with investigating every commercial and civil aviation crash in the U.S. 

and significant incidents in other modes of transportation. The NTSB determines the 

probable cause of each incident investigated and issues safety recommendations aimed at 

preventing future incidents. NTSB’s work is relevant to the mission of the NIOSH CMVS 

because its investigations frequently involve crashes of large trucks or motorcoaches.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal 

federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and 

price changes in the economy. Its mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate essential 

economic information to support public and private decision-making. BLS collects and 

maintains data critical for monitoring progress toward reduction of all kinds of 

occupational injuries, including work-related motor vehicle crashes. Major BLS data 

systems for occupational injuries are the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and 

the annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). In addition, BLS programs 

such as the Current Population Survey (CPS) and Quarterly Census of Employment and 

Wages (QCEW) provide employment estimates that are used to calculate rates of 

occupational fatality and injury by employment and worker characteristics. BLS data 

systems are crucial to identifying trends in fatal and nonfatal work-related crashes and 

monitoring progress toward CMVS goals.
9

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has broad responsibilities to protect the 

safety and security of the United States, including emergency preparedness and response. 

In this role, DHS has an interest in the safe operation of emergency vehicles and the safety 

of workers engaged in emergency response. More specifically, the United States Fire 

Administration, part of DHS’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, works with the fire 

service, emergency medical services community, and federal partners such as NIOSH to 

enhance safety of emergency responders through model policies and protocols, 

comprehensive training curricula, and timely dissemination of safety information.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency 

of the U.S. Department of Justice. Because its mission encompasses the development, 

testing, and evaluation of strategies to limit deaths and injuries of law enforcement 

personnel, NIJ shares with the NIOSH CMVS an interest in the reduction of motor vehicle 

crashes and resulting injuries in this worker population.

The role of non-governmental stakeholders

Collaborations with non-governmental stakeholders are essential to the CMVS 

accomplishing its mission. The CMVS regularly exchanges information and provides 

technical assistance to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Network of 

Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the 

National Safety Council (NSC), and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) on topics of 

mutual interest, including distracted driving, motor vehicle safety management systems, 

and vehicle manufacturing specifications. Collaborations with universities and research 

institutes lend skills and expertise that complement those available within the CMVS. 

Engagement with standard-setting organizations facilitates the translation of NIOSH 

research findings into voluntary safety standards. Finally, the cooperation and participation 

of industry partners and workers is essential for CMVS researchers to carry out research 

projects in real-world settings and to develop injury-prevention recommendations and 

products that are both effective and practical. 

Alignment with global initiatives

This strategic plan was informed by and is consistent with global initiatives for road safety:

• The United Nations (UN) Decade of Action for Road Safety: A 2010 resolution of the UN 

General Assembly proclaimed 2011–2020 the Decade of Action for Road Safety, with a 

global goal of stabilizing and then reducing the forecasted level of global road fatalities 

by intensifying and better coordinating activities conducted at national, regional, and 

global levels [United Nations General Assembly 2010]. High-priority actions for the 

Decade of Action are based on five “pillars” that address spheres where progress must be 

made if overall reductions in road traffic injuries are to be achieved at a global level: (1) 

Road safety management; (2) Safer roads and mobility; (3) Safer vehicles; (4) Safer road 

users; and (5) Post-crash response. Each of the five pillars has some relevance to workrelated road safety. All are addressed in this strategic plan, particularly (1), (3), and (4). 
10

• “Safe System” approaches: The concept of a “safe system” is based on the recognition that 

vehicles and road infrastructure must be designed to prevent or reduce harm from 

crashes, even when inevitable human errors occur [Organization for Economic 

Cooperation and Development/International Transport Forum 2008]. A number of 

countries have adopted some form of a “safe system” approach to developing and 

implementing their road safety programs, including Sweden (Vision Zero), the 

Netherlands (Sustainable Safety), the United States (Toward Zero Deaths), and Australia. 

Several features of the “safe system” concept informed development of this strategic 

plan: 

̶ A recognition that investments in road safety: (1) should be determined by data that 

define the scope and nature of the problem; and (2) should be directed toward 

activities that offer the greatest potential benefits for crash and injury reduction and 

provide reasonable returns on investments

̶ An awareness of the importance of coordination between all who have a stake in the 

safe operation of the transportation system: decision makers, owners, and users

̶ An understanding that motor vehicle safety, including safety at work, is a shared 

responsibility among the public and private sectors, NGOs, and individual road users

Framework for goal development

It is well-accepted within the motor vehicle safety community that the primary levers for 

preventing motor vehicle crashes are related to the human, the vehicle, and the 

environment. The origin of these concepts is the Haddon Matrix developed by American 

epidemiologist William Haddon, Jr., a prominent advocate for crash prevention and injury 

control and the first Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

Haddon conceptualized injury prevention as a problem of reducing or eliminating the 

exchange of harmful mechanical energy [Haddon, Jr. 1968]. The original Matrix combined 

temporal “phases” (Pre-crash, Crash, and Post-crash) with “factors” (Human, Vehicle, and 

Environment) where crash risks and injury prevention opportunities are present (Table 1).

Table 1. Original Haddon Matrix

Factors

Phases Human Vehicle Environment

Pre-crash

Crash

Post-crash
11

Goals for the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety will be guided by a modified version of 

the Haddon Matrix (Table 2) that differs from the basic Matrix in several ways:

• The three temporal phases from the original Haddon Matrix (Pre-crash, Crash, and Postcrash) are replaced by three “pathways” through which the goals of the CMVS will be 

achieved: Epidemiologic Analysis, Engineering and Technology-based Interventions, and 

Management and Behavioral Interventions. These “pathways” may be seen as a 

combination of research methods and interventions. The addition of Management and 

Behavioral Interventions accounts for opportunities presented by the occupational 

setting, where employers can implement additional policies and controls to prevent 

crashes.

• Research addressing the human (i.e., the vehicle driver or passenger, or the pedestrian 

worker) will focus on the human as he or she interacts with the vehicle, environment, or 

organizational and management structure specific to work. The “human” factor 

encompasses the job task and what the worker brings to the situation (i.e., innate traits 

as well as psychological and physiological states).

• In this framework, the vehicle is considered separately from the environment. The 

“Environment” factor encompasses not only the physical road environment, but also the 

work setting and any other external factors outside the direct control of the employer 

and worker. 

• A fourth factor, “Policies/Programs,” is added to account for the substantial and crucial 

role played by regulations, policies, and actions of employers, government, labor, and 

industry in reducing motor vehicle crash and injury risk for workers.4 

Table 2. Modified Haddon Matrix

Factors

Pathways Human Vehicle Environment Policies/Programs

Epidemiologic 

Analysis

Engineering and 

Technology

Management and 

Behavioral

 4 For the general population, the content of Policies/Programs would appropriately be included under 

Environment. For work-related motor vehicle safety, it is taken out of Environment and handled as a 

separate issue.
12

NIOSH motor vehicle safety projects placed in the modified 

Haddon Matrix

Listed in Table 3 are NIOSH projects initiated in 2004 or later, placed within the modified 

Haddon Matrix. Included are intramural projects led by NIOSH researchers as well as those 

that are extramurally funded by NIOSH through research grants to universities and state 

departments of health or labor. More detail on these projects can be found on the NIOSH 

motor vehicle safety web page. 

Table 3 shows that NIOSH has conducted or funded research within all four factor domains 

and all three pathways. However, the amount of research conducted per cell varies greatly. 

The majority of the research in the Epidemiologic Analysis pathway has involved 

assessment of human and policy/program factors related to motor vehicle crashes and 

injuries. Within the Engineering and Technology pathway, research has focused on 

addressing human and vehicle factors. The vast majority of the research in the Management 

and Behavioral pathway has focused on policy and program factors. As the table shows, 

there are important gaps in knowledge at the intersection of various factors and pathways 

that have yet to be addressed. 
13

Table 3. NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety Projects, 2004-2014 (Note: Completed projects are bolded; extramural projects are shown in italics.)

Factors

Pathways Human Vehicle Environment Policies/Programs

Epidemiologic 

Analysis

• Taxi Driver Survey on Motor Vehicle 

Safety and Workplace Violence

• Survey of Truck Driver Injury and Health

• Cops & Cars: Reducing LEO Deaths in 

Motor Vehicle Crashes

• Survey of Drivers in the Oil and Gas 

Extraction Industry

• Risk Factors for Crashes in Retrospective 

Cohort Study of Commercial Truck Drivers

• Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health 

Surveillance

• Preventing Work Injuries and Chronic 

Illnesses in Truckers

• Mortality of Independent Truck Drivers

• Evaluation of Commercial 

Vehicle Active Safety Systems 

and their Effect on Truck Driver 

Behavior

• Survey of Truck Driver 

Injury and Health

• Preventing Work 

Injuries and Chronic 

Illnesses in Truckers

• Motor Vehicle Safety Initiative

• Law Enforcement Officer Motor Vehicle Crash and 

Struck-By Fatality Investigations

• Cops & Cars: Reducing LEO Deaths in Motor Vehicle 

Crashes

• Analysis of Company Fleet Safety Management Data to 

Guide Research and Prevention

• Washington Occupational Injury and Illness 

Surveillance and Prevention Program

• Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance

Engineering 

and 

Technology

• Fire Apparatus Design and PPE Sizing: 

Knowledge & Technology Transfer

• Pilot Study: Sizing Law Enforcement 

Officers for Safe Vehicle Operation and 

Crash Protection

• Effects and Feasibility of a ComputerBased Intervention on Truck Drivers' Sleep

• Improved Truck Cab Design through 

Applied Anthropometry

• Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in 

Commercial Drivers

• Ambulance Crash Survivability 

Improvement Project

• Improved Truck Cab Design 

through Applied Anthropometry

• Partnering with Industry to Build 

Safe EMS Work Environments

• Evaluation of Commercial 

Vehicle Active Safety Systems 

and their Effect on Truck Driver 

Behavior

• Reducing Firefighter Vehicle 

Crashes: Simulation and 

Intervention

• Sizing Firefighters and 

Fire Apparatus: Safe 

by Design

• Fire Apparatus Design and PPE Sizing: Knowledge & 

Technology Transfer

Management 

and 

Behavioral

• Impact of a Truck Driver Public Health 

Practice Project (PHP)

• Evaluation of an Intervention to 

Reduce Collisions in Light and 

Intermediate Size Truck Drivers

• Motor Vehicle Safety 

Initiative

• Motor Vehicle Safety Initiative

• Evaluation of an Occupational Motor-Vehicle Crash 

Prevention Program in Law Enforcement

• Analysis of Company Fleet Safety Management Data to 

Guide Research and Prevention

• Survey of Drivers in the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry

• Motor Vehicle Safety: Best Practices in Oil and Gas 

Extraction Industry

• Evaluation of an Intervention to Reduce Collisions in 

Light and Intermediate Size Truck Drivers

• Business Case Calculator for Road Safety Strategies

• Transfer Evaluation Results into Road Construction 

Practice (PHP)

• Expanded Information Tools for Building Safer Work 

Zones (PHP)

• Promoting Global Initiatives for Occupational Road 

Safety (PHP)
14

Goals for the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle 

Safety 

The goals for the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety were developed by an internal task 

group in 2013 and 2014, based on: (1) consideration of research gaps; (2) a review of 

related goals in the NIOSH sector and cross-sector programs; and (3) consideration of the 

research areas where NIOSH is best-positioned to add to the knowledge base on workrelated motor vehicle safety.

Strategic goals 1 through 3 directly align with the “pathways” depicted in Table 2 above, and 

will add to the evidence base for employer programs and inform the development of safety 

standards and regulations. Strategic Goal 4 captures the global elements of work-related 

motor vehicle safety, and Strategic Goal 5 focuses on the communication of research results 

and stakeholder engagement to prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting 

injuries.

Strategic Goal 1: Advance understanding of risk factors associated with work-related motor 

vehicle crashes and resulting injuries through epidemiologic analyses to guide research and 

prevention strategies.

Rationale: 

Population-based data on factors associated with work-related motor vehicle crashes will help 

to identify priority areas for research and intervention. Variables of interest may be related to 

the driver, the vehicle, or the operating environment. Activities targeting this goal may involve 

collection of data through prospective studies. Alternatively, partnerships will be formed to 

enable secondary analysis of administrative or company-level data collected for other 

purposes, analysis of existing naturalistic driving data, or use of novel approaches to linkage or 

analysis of existing injury surveillance data systems. 

Intermediate Goal 1.1: Employers will use results of NIOSH research on work organization, 

hours of work, and driver fatigue to develop programs, policies, and interventions to prevent 

work-related motor vehicle crashes.

Activity/Output Goal 1.1.1: Identify and evaluate factors related to the operating 

environment (e.g., work organization, scheduling and dispatching practices, pay and 

incentive schemes, journey management policies, and incentives for distracted driving) 

that are associated with risk of work-related motor vehicle crashes.

Performance Measure 1.1.1: By 2018, at least two intramural and/or 

extramural research projects addressing the role of operating environment 

factors on work-related motor vehicle crashes will be completed. Results will be 
15

published in peer reviewed journals, trade journals, and NIOSH numbered 

publications.

Activity/Output Goal 1.1.2: Assess the effects of long or irregular hours of work, long 

hours of driving, or fatigue/sleepiness on risk of motor vehicle crashes, particularly in 

worker populations not covered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (e.g., 

emergency responders, sales workers who drive passenger vehicles, or workers who 

commute long distances).

Performance Measure 1.1.2: By 2018, at least two research projects or 

analyses related to hours of work, long hours of driving, or fatigue will provide 

evidence-based recommendations, particularly for workers not covered by 

FMCSA regulations.

Intermediate Goal 1.2: The research community will use results of NIOSH research based on 

novel data linkage approaches, previously untapped data sources, or naturalistic driving data to 

prioritize future research for work-related road safety.

Activity/Output Goal 1.2.1: Match work-related crash cases from the Census of Fatal 

Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), for the 

purpose of improving case identification and obtaining richer data on work-related 

crashes.

Performance Measure 1.2.1-1: By 2014, one methods paper on case 

identification and data linkage procedures will be published in a peer-reviewed 

journal. 

Performance Measure 1.2.1-2: By 2015, a second publication based on the 

matched CFOI and FARS data will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal , 

examining the role of exposures relevant to occupational motor vehicle safety

such as distracted driving, environmental factors, and roadway characteristics. 

Performance Measure 1.2.1-3: By 2017, a third publication will be submitted to 

a peer-reviewed journal based on analysis of matched CFOI and FARS for later 

data years.

Activity/Output Goal 1.2.2: Identify and evaluate data sources on work-related trips or 

miles traveled, for the purpose of preparing exposure-based estimates of crash risk for 

workers.

Performance Measure 1.2.2-1: By 2016, initiate at least one research project to 

identify and evaluate sources of exposure data estimates.

Performance Measure 1.2.2-2: By 2018, if initial efforts are successful, begin to 

develop annual exposure estimates on work-related trips or miles traveled.

Activity/Output Goal 1.2.3: Use naturalistic driving data collected by partners to 

identify and evaluate risk factors for work-related crashes.

Performance Measure 1.2.3: By 2018, publish at least one manuscript on risk

factors (e.g., distraction, roadway characteristics, and vehicle factors) for workrelated crashes based on the analysis of naturalistic driving data.

Intermediate Goal 1.3: Standards organizations, policy makers, and regulatory bodies will use 

results of NIOSH epidemiologic research to inform safety standards, policy initiatives, and 
16

regulations on work-related motor vehicle safety.

Activity/Output Goal 1.3.1: The Center will provide evidence-based guidance and 

recommendations to organizations and regulatory agencies charged with the 

development of standards and regulations for motor vehicle safety.

Performance Measure 1.3.1: By 2018, CMVS research results will influence 

standards and regulations applicable to work-related motor vehicle safety,

through direct CMVS participation on standards committees or contributions to 

NIOSH responses to regulatory initiatives by other agencies.

Strategic Goal 2: Reduce the incidence and severity of work-related motor vehicle crashes 

by implementing engineering and technology-based safety interventions and studying the 

positive or negative safety consequences of new technologies installed in vehicles.

Rationale: 

Intervention development and evaluation are critical to building the evidence base to guide 

prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. Human error is 

inevitable, and interventions are needed to manage it and reduce its effects. Engineering and 

technology-based solutions impose controls on the work environment so that prevention does 

not depend on driver initiative in all situations. 

In addition, emerging advanced in-vehicle technologies (installed by manufacturers as original 

equipment, or added later as job-related applications), automated vehicles, and “connectedvehicle” technologies such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) 

communications have safety implications for occupational driving. Factors linked to safety 

concerns such as driver distraction and fatigue (e.g., driver cognitive load, human-vehicle 

interface, and driver decision making), as they relate to driving for work, need to be better 

understood and guidelines developed and implemented accordingly. 

As stated above under “Priority vehicle types, industries, and occupations,” NIOSH research 

and injury prevention activities in this arena will give highest priority to research and 

technology transfer that focuses on vehicles built and driven primarily for work purposes, 

including fire apparatus, emergency vehicles, police cruisers, and heavy trucks. These are 

referred to below as “specialized work vehicles.”

Intermediate Goal 2.1: Safety research organizations, trade associations, insurance

companies, and employers will identify and characterize incidents and injuries associated with 

crashes of specialized work vehicles through research and evaluation of engineering strategies, 

social-organizational characteristics, and human-vehicle-environment interface traits that are 

common precursors to crash incidents; and will use this information to design out crash risk or 

develop engineering solutions and organizational interventions.

Activity/Output Goal 2.1.1: Conduct research on the cognitive load, signal detection 

ability, and perception/reaction time of operators of specialized work vehicles in 

response to information from driver assistance systems or road safety information 

systems to reduce crash or rollover incidents.
17

Performance Measure 2.1.1: By 2018, develop and disseminate materials on 

the responses of operators of specialized work vehicles to driver assistance 

systems or road safety information systems, and the criteria for effective 

systems.

Activity/Output Goal 2.1.2: Identify, evaluate, and adapt effective driver assistance 

systems or road safety information systems for operators of specialized work vehicles,

to reduce crash or rollover incidents.

Performance Measure 2.1.2: By 2018, transfer new knowledge and best 

practices on at least two effective interventions on driver assistance systems or 

road safety information systems to manufacturers of specialized work vehicles 

and organizations that use specialized work vehicles, to reduce crashes and 

injuries associated with these vehicles.

Activity/Output Goal 2.1.3: Conduct research on the cognition processes of operators 

of specialized work vehicles in understanding intersection configurations and decision 

making involved in maneuvering through intersections and traffic light systems.

Performance Measure 2.1.3: By 2018, develop and disseminate materials on 

practices used by operators of specialized work vehicles to acquire information 

on intersection configurations and make decisions on maneuvering through 

intersections and traffic light systems.

Activity/Output Goal 2.1.4: Develop guidelines and engineering solutions to enhance 

drivers’ understanding of vehicle constraints and capacity to maneuver among various 

intersections and traffic light systems.

Performance Measure 2.1.4: By 2018, transfer new knowledge and best 

practices on at least two effective interventions on driving assistance systems 

or road safety information systems associated with intersection safety to 

manufacturers of specialized work vehicles and organizations that use them, to 

reduce intersection crash incidents.

Intermediate Goal 2.2: Manufacturers of specialized work vehicles, professional communities, 

and national standards entities will use updated anthropometric information on the workers 

who use these vehicles to implement effective and evidence-based safe vehicle configurations, 

protective measures, and national safety standards to reduce work-related motor vehicle 

crashes and resulting injuries.

Activity/Output Goal 2.2.1: Collaborate with professional communities, trade 

associations, safety equipment manufacturers, and other government agencies to 

establish anthropometric databases of workers who use specialized work vehicles, to 

update vehicle configurations and protective measures to adequately protect current 

workforces. 

Performance Measure 2.2.1-1: By 2014 and 2018, establish national 

anthropometric databases of fire fighters and emergency medical services 

personnel, respectively.

Performance Measure 2.2.1-2: By 2015, develop and disseminate a sourcebook 

to assist users of the national anthropometric database of truck drivers.

Activity/Output Goal 2.2.2: Conduct research on the interface between occupants and 
18

specialized work vehicles to advance knowledge on occupant accommodation for safe 

vehicle operation and development of digital occupant models, for crash-related injury 

control simulations and evaluations. 

Performance Measure 2.2.2: By 2016, develop and disseminate materials on at 

least two improved interventions for fire apparatus.

Activity/Output Goal 2.2.3: Collaborate with professional communities, equipment 

manufacturers, and other government agencies to transfer anthropometry data, digital 

human models, and human factors engineering recommendations to improve vehicle 

configuration and guide the design and use of protective measures. 

Performance Measure 2.2.3: By 2017, transfer at least two human factors 

engineering recommendations or interventions to improve the design of fire 

apparatus, use of protective measures, and standards/specifications for fire 

apparatus.

Intermediate Goal 2.3: NIOSH and other government agency partners, vehicle manufacturers, 

standards committees, and occupational safety professionals will work together to improve the 

configurations and designs of heavy trucks, ambulances, fire apparatus, and police cruisers to 

reduce the likelihood of crashes and rollovers and reduce risk of occupant injuries and fatalities 

associated with these types of incidents.

Activity/Output Goal 2.3.1: Conduct research to update crashworthiness data on 

specialized work vehicles to advance knowledge on biomechanical loading and injury 

risk for occupants during crash and rollover incidents. 

Performance Measure 2.3.1: By 2015, complete impact tests and update 

crashworthiness data related to biomechanical loading and injury risk to 

occupants of at least one type of specialized work vehicle.

Activity/Output Goal 2.3.2: Develop guidelines and engineering recommendations to 

reduce biomechanical loading and injury risk among users of specialized work vehicles 

during crash and rollover incidents. 

Performance Measure 2.3.2: By 2017, develop guidelines and at least three 

engineering recommendations to reduce biomechanical loading and injury risk 

to occupants during crash and rollover incidents of at least one type of 

specialized work vehicle.

Activity/Output Goal 2.3.3: Collaborate with professional communities, equipment 

manufacturers, and other government agencies to transfer biomechanical loading data 

and vehicle configuration improvements into vehicle safety practice standards. 

Performance Measure 2.3.3: By 2017, transfer at least two human factors 

engineering recommendations or vehicle configuration improvements into 

safety standards/specifications for at least one type of specialized work vehicle.

Intermediate Goal 2.4: NIOSH and other government agency partners, research organizations,

vehicle manufacturers, standards committees, and occupational safety professionals will work 

together to establish research-based recommendations and best practices about selection and 

adoption of highly-automated vehicles and vehicles with connected-vehicle capability. 

Activity/Output Goal 2.4.1: Review literature and research on new technologies such 
19

as highly-automated and semi-autonomous vehicles, connected-vehicle technologies 

such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, 

and streaming Internet in vehicles as they relate to driving for work, including research 

on collateral risks associated with the introduction of those technologies and 

recommendations for best safety practices and vehicle selection processes. 

Performance Measure 2.4.1: By 2017, publish a document on new and 

emerging technologies (e.g., semi-autonomous vehicles, connected-vehicle 

technologies) found in vehicles used for work purposes, challenges and risks 

associated with the introduction of these technologies, and research ideas on 

best safety practices.

Activity/Output Goal 2.4.2: Assess the effectiveness of automated functions in 

vehicles or connected-vehicle technologies in reducing crash risk for specialized work 

vehicles, using existing crash data and databases that document vehicle-to-vehicle and 

vehicle-to-infrastructure communications.

Performance Measure 2.4.2: By 2016, initiate at least one research project that 

assesses the effectiveness of automated functions in vehicles or connectedvehicle technologies for reducing crash risk for specialized work vehicles such as 

heavy trucks or emergency response vehicles.

Strategic Goal 3: Reduce the incidence and severity of work-related motor vehicle crashes 

through the implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based road safety management 

policies and interventions.

Rationale:

In difficult economic times, even organizations that have successful motor vehicle safety 

programs are reconsidering the level of resources to dedicate to those programs. Empirical 

data from administrative and company-level systems are needed to help organizations select 

the program elements that are most closely associated with reductions in crashes and injuries, 

as well as those that are most cost-effective. These data will also be useful for establishing 

business cases to encourage organizations to implement motor vehicle safety programs. Also 

needed are evidence-based tools to help organizations measure changes in safety performance 

and return on investment associated with road safety interventions. Products with potential for 

application across industry sectors are preferable to those with narrow focus. Further, 

development of empirical data is preferable to case studies or compilations of “best practices” 

that are based solely on anecdotal evidence or informal reports.

Evaluations of comprehensive fleet management policies and programs are needed. Detailed 

pre- and post-implementation case studies have come out of the United Kingdom and Australia 

(see, for example, Darby et al. [2011], Murray et al. [2012], and Wallington et al. [2012]), but 

none has come from the United States. This research might also take the form of “natural 

experiments” that follow the implementation of individual road safety interventions in 

organizations. Such interventions might include changes in work organization, journey 

management protocols, and fatigue management programs. Few such studies have been 

published in the peer-reviewed literature (for good examples, see Gregersen et al. [1996] and 
20

Salminen [2008]), and the only one to come from the United States is dated and not broadly 

applicable (Ludwig and Geller [1991]).

Also needed is research that would help to establish links between road safety, fuel economy, 

alternative modes of travel, and environmental stewardship in the context of occupational 

driving. The potential cost savings of “eco-driving” can be used to leverage organizations to 

implement more extensive road safety initiatives. The ability to show concern for the 

environment through reduced fuel consumption and reduced travel by road will also align well 

with organizations’ environmental goals.

Intermediate Goal 3.1: Organizations will apply research-based recommendations to develop, 

implement, and sustain comprehensive workplace road safety management interventions. 

Activity/Output Goal 3.1.1: Conduct research to assess the effectiveness of road safety 

interventions in organizations. These interventions may include work organization

changes, journey management protocols, fatigue management programs, data 

systems for monitoring road safety performance, in-vehicle monitoring systems, or 

organizational policies to reduce distracted driving.

Performance Measure 3.1.1: By 2016, initiate at least two intramural or 

extramural research projects to assess the effectiveness of road safety 

interventions.

Activity/Output Goal 3.1.2: Identify the factors critical to success of post-license driver 

training for occupational drivers, including other supporting initiatives critical to its 

success.

Performance Measure 3.1.2: By 2016, publish a peer-reviewed paper and one 

article in a professional or trade association journal to report the results of an 

evaluation of driver training methods.

Activity/Output Goal 3.1.3: Assess safety climate and culture as determinants of the 

success or failure of road safety interventions in organizations.

Performance Measure 3.1.3: By 2016, initiate at least one intramural or 

extramural research project to assess safety climate and culture as 

determinants of the success or failure of road safety interventions in 

organizations.

Activity/Output Goal 3.1.4: Validate audit tools for assessing the quality of fleet safety 

management practices.

Performance Measure 3.1.4: By 2018, initiate intramural or extramural 

research to validate audit tools for fleet safety management.

Intermediate Goal 3.2: Organizations will use evidence-based resources to implement 

effective road safety management programs.

Activity/Output Goal 3.2.1: Develop a “business case” to justify implementation of 

comprehensive workplace motor vehicle safety programs.

Performance Measure 3.2.1: By 2016, develop a guide to help organizations 

justify the economic and occupational safety benefits of implementing a 
21

comprehensive motor vehicle safety program.

Activity/Output Goal 3.2.2: Develop and evaluate tools to help organizations measure 

and monitor road safety performance.

Performance Measure 3.2.2: By 2016, develop and distribute tools to support 

monitoring of organizational road safety performance.

Activity/Output Goal 3.2.3: Assess the value and extent to which motor-vehicle safety 

management programs are integrated into occupational safety and health 

management systems.

Performance Measure 3.2.3: By 2017, initiate a project that includes an 

assessment of the integration of motor-vehicle safety management programs 

into occupational safety and health management systems.

Activity/Output Goal 3.2.4: Assess the value of road safety management programs 

within private and public sector organizations, taking into consideration costeffectiveness and return on investment.

Performance Measure 3.2.4: By 2018, publish a peer-reviewed paper and one 

article in a professional or trade association journal to report the results of 

economic research on road safety management programs.

Intermediate Goal 3.3: Standards organizations and regulatory bodies will use results of 

NIOSH research on fleet safety management strategies to inform safety standards and 

regulations on work-related motor vehicle safety.

Activity/Output Goal 3.3.1: NIOSH research will contribute to future revisions of the 

ANSI/ASSE Z15.1 and ISO 39001 standards.

Performance Measure 3.3.1: By 2018, NIOSH input will be incorporated into 

any revisions made to either of these fleet safety management standards.

Strategic Goal 4: Reduce work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries globally 

through national and international collaborations on occupational motor vehicle safety 

research and guidance.

Rationale: 

NIOSH is a member of the UN Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC), a public-private 

consultative mechanism coordinated by the World Health Organization. The UNRSC developed 

the implementation plan for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 and is 

monitoring progress toward goals for the Decade. In addition, NIOSH participates in a UNRSC 

project group on work-related road safety. See the Appendix for more information on the 

relevance of the Decade of Action plan to work-related road safety. 

Intermediate Goal 4.1: NIOSH will provide technical assistance and consultation for 

international initiatives and documents on work-related road safety. 

Activity/Output Goal 4.1.1: Develop partnerships for identifying research and for the 
22

sharing of research needs, approaches, and results.

Performance Measure 4.1.1-1: Strengthen coordination of research through 

international organizations and nongovernmental organizations with global 

reach.

Performance Measure 4.1.1–2: Expand collaborations to developing nations 

and emerging markets (Americas, Asia-Pacific).

Activity/Output Goal 4.1.2: Enhance global dissemination of strategies for reducing 

occupational road traffic injuries.

Performance Measure 4.1.2–1: Establish partnerships for translation of NIOSH 

publications to other languages.

Performance Measure 4.1.2–2: By 2018, utilize and regularly update social 

media channels with new and noteworthy NIOSH research results and injury 

prevention messages tailored to global stakeholders.

Activity/Output Goal 4.1.3: Increase global acceptance of strategies for reducing 

occupational road traffic injuries worldwide.

Performance Measure 4.1.3–1: Strengthen participation in globally recognized 

organizations.

Intermediate Goal 4.2.1: NIOSH and partners will initiate and promote international research 

and demonstration projects to prevent road traffic injury in worker populations, in support of 

high-priority activities around the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. 

Activity/Output Goal 4.2.1: Assess the differences between definition and capture of 

data on work-related crashes in regions and countries around the world, for the 

purpose of encouraging standardization in data systems.

Performance Measure 4.2.1: By 2016, publish a peer-reviewed paper 

comparing sources of data on work-related crashes around the world.

Activity/Output Goal 4.2.2: Collaborate with the Institute of Road Traffic Education 

(IRTE) and CDC colleagues to analyze data on training of heavy-goods vehicle drivers in 

India, demographic and health characteristics of drivers, and fleet safety management 

in transport operators in India.

Performance Measure 4.2.2: By 2016, publish at least two peer-reviewed 

papers on truck driver safety in India covering the following topics: driver 

training outcomes, demographic and health characteristics of drivers, and fleet 

safety management by transport operators.
23

Strategic Goal 5: Enhance availability of clear and concise guidance and informational 

products on the prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries.

Rationale: 

Organizations whose employees drive motor vehicles for work purposes want research-based 

recommendations and tools they can put into action in the workplace. The CMVS needs to 

ensure that its research results are translated into “actionable” steps for organizations.

Intermediate Goal 5.1: Disseminate information on existing and new programs and products 

of the Center for Motor Vehicle Safety to employers and other external stakeholders as it 

becomes available. 

Activity/Output Goal 5.1.1: Use social media to digest NIOSH research results and 

communicate appropriate injury prevention messages to stakeholders.

Performance Measure 5.1.1-1: By 2014, utilize one social media channel (e.g., 

Twitter, Facebook, blog) to communicate NIOSH research results and injury 

prevention messages to stakeholders. 

Performance Measure 5.1.1-2: By 2015, utilize at least three social media 

channels (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, blog) to communicate NIOSH research 

results and injury prevention messages to stakeholders.

Performance Measure 5.1.1-3: By 2018, utilize and regularly update social 

media channels with new and noteworthy NIOSH research results and injury 

prevention messages to stakeholders. 

Activity/Output Goal 5.1.2: Develop a biannual electronic newsletter to provide 

information about the Center and its activities to external stakeholders.

Performance Measure 5.1.2: By 2015, publish first electronic newsletter to 

external stakeholders.

Activity/Output Goal 5.1.3: Redesign the NIOSH “Motor Vehicle Safety” topic 

webpage to serve as a portal for the dissemination of NIOSH research results, 

appropriate motor vehicle injury prevention messages, and products and outcomes of 

the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety.

Performance Measure 5.1.3: By 2015, publish redesigned “Motor Vehicle 

Safety”topic webpage.

Activity/Output Goal 5.1.4: Evaluate the reach and the audience characteristics for 

NIOSH information products on prevention of work-related crashes.

Performance Measure 5.1.4: By 2015, prepare an assessment of the reach and 

the audience characteristics for selected NIOSH information products on 

prevention of work-related crashes, including social media channels.

Intermediate Goal 5.2: In partnership with NIOSH, employers and other stakeholders will 

consolidate, segment, and strategically disseminate information on evidence-based practices 

to increase knowledge and awareness about prevention of work-related crashes and resulting 

injuries.
24

Activity/Output Goal 5.2.1: Develop and maintain strong linkages with stakeholders 

for work-related motor vehicle safety (i.e., other federal agencies, trade and 

professional associations, labor organizations, and non-governmental organizations) to 

exchange information and foster research collaborations.

Performance Measure 5.2.1: By 2016, incorporate collaborative activities on 

road safety into existing agreements with at least two partner agencies or 

organizations, or initiate new agreements to collaborate on research and 

prevention activities.

Activity/Output Goal 5.2.2: Summarize research results for dissemination through 

trade associations and professional organizations.

Performance Measure 5.2.2: By 2015, summarize the results of one NIOSH 

research study for dissemination through publications or other communication 

channels of trade associations and professional organizations.

Monitoring progress toward achieving goals

To assess progress toward its goals, the NIOSH CMVS will undertake a mid-course review of 

this 5-year strategic plan to be completed by the end of 2016. Early in the implementation 

of the strategic plan, projects and other activities will be mapped to the activity/output 

goals in the plan. This activity will help to document progress on activity/output goals using 

the defined performance measures, as well as progress toward the intermediate goals 

which reflect impact in the workplace. In addition, an external review panel will be engaged 

to provide comments on the Center’s progress and to offer input on any needed mid-course 

corrections or modifications.
25

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27

Appendix

Elements of the Decade of Action for Road Safety action plan with relevance for 

work-related motor vehicle safety, and their linkage to CMVS goals

Pillar 1: Road Safety Management

Action plan item: Develop a national 

strategy (at a cabinet or ministerial level) 

coordinated by the lead agency through:

• Promoting road safety management 

initiatives such as the new ISO traffic 

safety management standard ISO 39001.

• Establishing and maintaining the data 

collection systems necessary to provide 

baseline data and monitor progress in 

reducing road traffic injuries and fatalities 

and other important indicators such as 

cost, etc.

Relevance and link to CMVS goals: ISO 

39001:2012, Road Traffic Safety (RTS) 

Management Systems – Requirements with 

Guidance for Use, is an important global 

standard that delineates road-safety 

management processes to be followed by a 

variety of organizations with responsibility for 

road safety. These include the government 

agencies that design and manage the road 

network, as well as organizations whose 

employees are a major road user group 

(International Organization for Standardization 

[2012]).

Data collection is critical for monitoring 

progress in achieving road safety targets at 

national, regional, and organizational levels. 

This includes targets for work-related road 

safety.

Pillar 2: Safer Roads and Mobility

Action plan item: Adhere to and/or fully 

implement the major United Nations road 

safety related agreements and conventions; 

and encourage the creation of new regional 

instruments similar to the European 

Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of 

Vehicles engaged in International Road 

Transport (AETR).

Relevance and link to CMVS goals: This 

activity notes the importance of cross-national 

agreements for promoting work-related road 

safety.

Action plan item: Promote safe operation, 

maintenance and improvement of existing 

road infrastructure by requiring road 

authorities to:

• Identify the number and location of 

deaths and injuries by road user type, and 

Relevance and link to CMVS goals: In the 

bullet to the left, “road user type” is probably 

meant to refer to categories such as 

pedestrians, two-wheeler operators, or youth. 

However, it can also be extended to include 

road user categories related to employment, for 
28

the key infrastructure factors that 

influence risk for each user group.

example, deaths and injuries that occur during 

the work day, or during travel to or from work.

Pillar 3: Safer Vehicles

Action plan item: Encourage managers of 

governments and private sector fleets to 

purchase, operate and maintain vehicles that 

offer advanced safety technologies and high 

levels of occupant protection.

Relevance and link to CMVS goals: Public and 

private sector organizations purchase or lease 

large numbers of vehicles. Demand for safer 

vehicles from these major customers can 

influence vehicle manufacturers to improve 

crashworthiness and add advanced safety 

features. Influence by major customers is 

especially important in parts of the world that 

lack government-led standards for vehicle 

manufacturing.

Pillar 4: Safer Road Users

Action plan item: Set and seek compliance 

with transport, occupational health and 

safety laws, standards and rules for safe 

operation of commercial freight and 

transport vehicles, passenger road transport 

services and other public and private vehicle 

fleets to reduce crash injuries. 

Relevance and link to CMVS goals: This 

activity reflects the importance of occupational 

safety regulations and consensus standards in 

preventing work-related motor vehicle crashes 

in organizations that transport goods and 

passengers and those that operate motor 

vehicles for other business purposes.

Action plan item: Research, develop and 

promote comprehensive policies and 

practices to reduce work-related road traffic 

injuries in the public, private and informal 

sectors, in support of internationally 

recognized standards for road safety 

management systems and occupational 

health and safety.

Relevance and link to CMVS goals: This 

activity reflects two important insights about 

work-related road safety: (1) the recognition 

that occupational safety regulations in 

combination with traffic rules do not offer 

adequate protection from the risk of workrelated motor vehicle crashes; and (2) that the 

majority of activities that fill this gap are 

initiated by the organizations whose employees 

operate motor vehicles on their behalf.

Pillar 5: Post-crash Response

Action plan item: Increase responsiveness 

to post-crash emergencies and improve the 

ability of health and other systems to 

provide appropriate emergency treatment 

and longer term rehabilitation for crash 

victims.

Relevance and link to CMVS goals: In parts of 

the world that lack timely and high-level crash 

response, or in remote work locations, 

employers may take responsibility for providing 

some level of crash response and ensuring that 

workers obtain needed medical care.

Adapted from: World Health Organization and UN Road Safety Collaboration [2010]. Global plan for the 

Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. http://www.who.int/roadsafety/decade_of_action/en/.