Center for Motor Vehicle Safety

Overview

In 2010, NIOSH launched the Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) to address crashes, the leading cause of work-related deaths in the United States.^[1] The Center conducts research and develops strategies to prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries.

NIOSH is the only part of the U.S. federal government whose mission includes preventing crashes and resulting injuries for all workers, not just a specific worker group. View our fact sheet to learn more.

What we do

• Strengthen understanding of how risk factors contribute to work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries.

• Develop and evaluate the effectiveness of engineering and technology-based safety interventions.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of motor vehicle safety management programs and practices.

• Promote the adoption of evidence-based technologies and practices by employers, workers, and others.

Program priorities

The Center for Motor Vehicle Safety (CMVS) conducts research and develops strategies to prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. The CMVS work emphasizes these industry sectors: Oil and Gas Extraction (OGE); Public Safety; Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (TWU); and Wholesale and Retail Trade. The CMVS prioritizes motor vehicle safety for:

• Truck drivers.

• Drivers in other high-risk jobs (e.g., emergency medical services workers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, OGE workers).

• Drivers of light vehicles (passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks).

What we've accomplished

Published an article on findings from a survey of 500 land based OGE workers. Results indicate longer commutes, nonstandard work schedules, less sleep on workdays, and lack of employer driving safety policies were associated with risky driving-related outcomes.

Published an article on findings from an evaluation in a driving simulator of a curve speed warning system (CSWS) to prevent fire truck rollover crashes. Results indicate CSWS issued preemptive warnings when drivers were approaching curves at unsafe speeds. The study provided directions for further improvement of CSWS.

In collaboration with the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, developed a guide for fleet safety professionals on fatigue management and reducing the risk of crashes and injuries resulting from fatigued driving.

The NIOSH Officer Road Code Toolkit has been adopted by an insurance agency that supports the majority of counties in Oregon as part of a Law Enforcement Officer Motor Vehicle Safety course to promote safe driving practices among its members.

What's ahead

• Publish a commentary that identifies inequities in work-related motor vehicle safety outcomes for underserved sociodemographic groups.

• Publish a paper on the relationships between risky driving behaviors among OGE workers and their employers' motor vehicle safety policies.

• Publish two papers characterizing work-related motor vehicle fatalities using matched data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

• Develop a guide for creating or expanding motor vehicle safety programs within organizations.

• Publish "CDC Feature" article on driver fatigue on the job.

• Co-host a driver safety webinar with the NIOSH Total Worker Health® program.

Contacts

For more information or inquiries about the Center's initiatives, contact the Center for Motor Vehicle Safety at CDC-INFO.

Resources

Worker Safety Information

See the related NIOSH topic page to learn more about Motor Vehicle Safety for workers.

Center Strategic Planning/Evaluation

• Strategic Plan, 2020-2029
• Strategic Plan, 2014-2018
• Performance Measures, 2014-2016
• Progress Report, 2014-2016
• Midcourse Review Results, 2014-2016
• Evaluation, 2014-2018
• NIOSH Strategic Plan, FYs 2019-2023