Research & Evaluation
Behavioral Research
Behaviors and Attitudes
NHTSA studies behaviors and attitudes in highway safety, focusing on drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. We identify and measure behaviors involved in crashes or associated with injuries, and develop and refine countermeasures to deter unsafe behaviors and promote safe alternatives.
Our recently published reports and research notes are listed chronologically below. To the right are additional resources including Traffic Techs.
| Title | Report |
|---|---|
National Survey of Drowsy Driving Knowledge, Attitudes, and BehaviorsThe National Survey of Drowsy Driving Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors sampled 10,700 U.S. adults to investigate knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding drowsy driving. Using the theory of planned behavior as framework, this study compared the national sample and the State oversamples to better understand the effects of laws and public education campaigns related to drowsy driving. It also investigated the effects of factors that may influence drowsy driving behavior. It found that the extent to which drivers believes they have control over whether they drive drowsy or not had the strongest relationship with reported drowsy driving. Results also suggest State laws and the availability of ride share services may help deter drowsy driving, while those who drive or work at night, have less or poorer quality sleep, or who have sleep disorders may have increased risk of driving drowsy. The results of this survey may be useful to traffic safety stakeholders aiming to develop or target behavioral countermeasures intended to reduce the incidence of drowsy driving. |
DOT HS 813 887 |
Examination of State Legislation Related to Novice Drivers (2017–2021)This study investigated the reported "slowdown" in the adoption of increased-restriction State graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws in the 50 United States by analyzing 335 novice-driver-related bills introduced from 2017 to 2021. We used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analyses of legislative data with qualitative case studies of individual bills. Results showed 21.5 percent of proposed novice-driver-related bills were enacted, and legislation making State GDL programs less restrictive had significantly higher odds of enactment and greater legislative progress than bills making GDL programs more restrictive. Case study findings show stakeholders believe there has been a legislative shift toward other safety priorities, such as impaired or distracted driving, along with a desire to increase teen mobility in areas lacking transportation alternatives. Study results give critical context for States and State Highway Safety Offices and inform future research on the impact of these changes to licensing requirements on novice driver safety. |
DOT HS 813 888 |
Effects of an Ignition Interlock Device Data-Enhanced Counseling Program on DUI RecidivismThis report examined short- and long-term effects of a "parallel" interlock and counseling program where counseling accompanies the interlock sanction. It records DUI recidivism compared to standard interlock sanctions. Learning more interlock data-informed counseling helps jurisdictions in determining program funding for prevention approaches aimed at reducing DWI recidivism. |
DOT HS 813 890 |
Fatalities Requiring Extrication: State Rates per 100,000 Licensed Drivers, 2020 - 2024Between 2020 and 2024, 15.3 percent (n = 31,448) of all motor vehicle crash fatalities required extrication (equipment used to remove a person from a vehicle). Of those, nearly two-thirds (65.3%) died either at the scene or during transport, and 34.7 percent reached the hospital alive but died within 30 days. Men account for approximately two-thirds (66.6%) of these fatalities compared to one-third (33.4%) for women. The majority (52.6%) of fatalities requiring extrication occurred in rural settings. |
DOT HS 813 845 |
Oral Fluid Testing Program Case StudiesFrom July to August 2025, NHTSA gathered information regarding oral fluid testing programs in five States, Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, New York, and Washington. Each case study summarizes program implementation, best practices, and learnings. The report identifies common keys to success, including the necessity of early stakeholder engagement, rigorous scientific validation, and the importance of transparent communication with the judiciary and the public. |
DOT HS 813 865 |
Motor Vehicle Crash Patients Meeting Criteria for Prehospital Blood Transfusion in 2025This figure, developed by NHTSA's Office of Emergency Medical Services, the NEMSIS Technical Assistance Center, and the Office of Behavioral Safety Research, uses 2025 NEMSIS data to quantify and map 32,992 ground EMS responses to motor vehicle crash patients meeting the clinical criteria (Levy et al., 2025) for prehospital blood transfusion. |
DOT HS 813 843 |
How-to Guide for Increasing Seat Belt Use in Indian CountryThe report outlines the process for developing a how-to guide to increase seat belt use in Indian Country, a NHTSA companion report titled Bridging Cultures to Buckle Up: A Guide for Working With Tribes to Increase Seat Belt Use. It summarizes development of that guide, including convening a Tribal Advisory Council and two virtual Working Groups in NHTSA Regions 6 and 10 that involved Tribal and State representatives. During these meetings, participants identified issues that needed to be addressed in the guide; provided input, content, and examples; and reviewed drafts of the guide. It outlines key themes from the Tribal Advisory Council and Working Group meetings that informed each chapter. |
DOT HS 813 807 |
Bridging Cultures to Buckle Up: A Guide for Working with Tribes to Increase Seat Belt UseThis guide is for State and local officials plus non-government organizations and advocates interested in teaming up with Tribes to improve traffic safety through occupant protection, specifically seat belt use. It was collabratively developed with representatives from Indian Country across the United States, including Tribes, nations, bands, villages, pueblos, missions, rancherias, as well as State and Federal transportation safety officials and Tribal liaisons. It is a framework to build understanding and trust between Tribes and officials they work with. It has an overview of sovereignty, Tribal land status, and Indigenous Knowledge and practices and their impact on laws, enforcement, partnerships, and data. It suggests designing funding mechanisms to better respond to the needs of the Tribes. It also includes an extensive resource section to broaden understanding of the topics covered. |
DOT HS 813 805 |
Child Passenger Safety State of Knowledge: A Literature ReviewThis systematic literature review presents a synthesis of behavioral safety research on child passenger safety (CPS) published from 2000 to 2022, focused on children up to age 12, and that was conducted in the United States. A stakeholder meeting at the beginning of the project established important issues, gaps in available information, and stakeholder and audience needs. The review provides information about the current state of CPS; the history of CPS recommendations, regulations, and requirements; child restraint system types; non-use and misuse of child restraint systems and their risk factors; and approaches for reducing child fatalities and injuries in motor vehicle crashes, including education, outreach, State legislation and enforcement, and programs for communities with lower CRS use. |
DOT HS 813 784 |
Considerations for Building A Community-Led Initiative: Engaging Communities With Lower Child Restraint UseThis quick start guide summarizes behavioral safety research on child passenger safety, focused on children up to age 12 and conducted in the United States, providing effective approaches to properly restraining children in communities with historically lower rates of child restraint use, helping them to consider new strategies. The guide is accompanied by two supplemental presentations and their corresponding speaker notes that cover both top insights from NHTSA’s CPS State of Knowledge and engaging communities with lower child restraint use. |
DOT HS 813 783 |