of Collisions 

Before the program 

After the program 

1,616 

1,292 

Number of Injuries ' 

Before the program 

After the program 

Collision and Injury Costs ~ 

Before the program 

After the program 

$5.4 million 

$4.3 million 

Cost savings totaled $1.1 million. 

CIE:NTl:ft8 FOR CISEA&ic" 

CONTflOL ANO F>llll!.Yl!:HTION 

Nlr I I Nation~/ Institute 

.I of Just,ce 

STRENGTHEN SCIENCE. ADVANCE JUSTICE. 

271 

159 

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES 

HOW TO PREVENT MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS 

LAW ENFORCEMENT 

OFFICERS ARE AT RISK 

OF MOTOR VEHICLE 

COLLISIONS FROM MANY 

PREVENTABLE FACTORS.1 

After the death of three officers in motor vehicle collisions, 

the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) 

developed three elements of a safe driving program: 

1) policies, 2) more training for officers, and 3) daily safety 

messaging. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health (NIOSH) collaborated with the National Institute of 

Justice (NIJ) on a study evaluating the LVMPD program. They 

found that the safe driving program significantly reduced 

collisions and injuries, and saved the LVMPD over $1 million.2 

A SAFE DRIVING PROGRAM: BEFORE & AFTER2,3 

1 Some preventable factors that put officers at risk of a crash: 

not wearing a seat belt; speeding; distraction; stress 

2 Tiesman H, Gwilliam M, Rojek J, Hendricks S, Montgomery B, 

Alpert G. (2019). The Impact of a Crash Prevention Program 

in a Large Law Enforcement Agency. AJIM: 62(10): 847-858 

3 Pre-intervention period covers 2007-2009; 

Post-intervention period covers 2011-2013 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

’

WHAT AGENCIES CAN DO TO PREVENT COLLISIONS 

Policies 

Implement safe driving policies that 

require seat belt use, reduce unnecessary 

speeding (e.g., speed cap, intersection 

crossing), and reduce distraction (e.g., 

use of MDT and other in-car electronics). 

Educate officers about safe driving habits 

and operating their vehicle within policy. 

To reduce fatigue, provide enough 

off-duty time for officers. 

Training 

Increase the frequency of driver training. 

Consider using free training materials 

from VALOR and Below 100. 

Model safe driving behaviors that you 

want your officers to practice (wearing 

your own seat belt, etc). 

Messaging and Other Activities 

During roll call, emphasize the 

importance of safe driving. Look for 

other opportunities to incorporate 

road safety into workplace culture. 

Consider using NIOSH s free Officer 

Road Code Toolkit to share messages 

related to seat belts, speeding, 

distraction, and stress response. 

Encourage open communication 

between officers and leaders. Talk 

about safe driving and acknowledge 

those who are driving safely. 

Reduce distracted driving by 

minimizing distractions in the 

interior of the patrol car. 

REMIND AND ENCOURAGE YOUR OFFICERS TO 

Buckle up and arrive alive. 

Think before you speed. Be aware of your 

driving environment when you respond 

to a call or engage in a pursuit. 

Make sure that intersections are clear 

before proceeding. 

Focus on driving. If possible, only use 

your MDT or other in-car electronics 

while you’re stopped. 

Control stress by breathing slowly 

and steadily. Provide back-up with 

a clear mind. 

Stay well-rested and alert by getting 

enough sleep. 

Hold your fellow officers accountable. 

When you see a fellow officer driving 

too fast for conditions, say something 

to them. 

Visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/leo for more law enforcement 

resources, including a toolkit of safe driving messages. 

Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the National Institute of Justice. 

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2021-122 

https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2021122 • July 2021 

Get More Information 

Find NIOSH products and get answers to workplace safety and health questions: 

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) | TTY: 1-888-232-6348 

CDC/NIOSH INFO: cdc.gov/info | cdc.gov/niosh 

Monthly NIOSH eNews: cdc.gov/niosh/eNews