NHTSA EVENTS

Driving Behavioral Change in Traffic Safety

2016 Summits: February 5, 10, 18, and 23; March 1, 10-11

Motor vehicle crash fatalities are rising. Simply stated, this Summit is a call to action for highway safety practitioners and all those who are interested in saving livings and stopping injuries and crashes on our Nation’s roads. NHTSA is leading the charge with a new strategy on human choices: “Driving Behavioral Change in Traffic Safety.”

SCHEDULE

February 5, 2016
Sacramento, California

Overview

The first of five NHTSA Safety Summits held across the United States, this meeting focused on opportunities for innovation, including technological solutions to change driver behavior.

Number of Participants

145 (275 invited), held at the Holiday Inn, Rancho Cordova.

Disciplines Represented

Academia (Wide-Ranging, from Medicine and Clinical/Social Health Research to Soil Science/Farming), Associations (AARP, MSF, GHSA), Corporate (Coach USA, FedEx, Lyft, Uber), Government (Local, State, Federal, Including Mental Health, Justice, Public Health, Transit, and Trucking), Law Enforcement, Law (Academic, Private, Public), Legislators, Marketing, Safety Advocacy Groups, Prevention, Safety Product Vendors, Toxicology, Treatment, and other individuals and groups interested in traffic safety.

Event Description

This interactive forum featured four panel sessions with informative dialogue, and a networking lunch that allowed participants to exchange ideas and develop new contacts.

Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in the afternoon, providing insights into the critical juncture in transportation safety, and the impact that technology will have in our future.

Media Quotes

U.S. DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx

“Some studies suggest that we could see as much as an 80-percent reduction in fatalities so that’s why we take a very aggressive view that is technology that we need to advance”
- Sacramento Bee Video 2/8/2016

NHTSA Administrator, Mark R. Rosekind, Ph.D.

“Kicking off a series of nationwide summits in Sacramento, Rosekind says they are trying to fix the human behavior that causes 94 percent of crashes. Cellphones are a big problem. "Once that buzzer goes off they don't know what to do except to reach for it. One strategy is to put it in the trunk," Rosekind suggested.”
- KFBK News Radio 2/5/2016

Challenge Areas for These States

Unrestrained Drivers and Occupants, Impaired Driving, Pedestrian/Bicyclist Safety, Motorcycle Safety and Speeding.

Common Themes

Safety is Personal (Presenters Shared Personal Examples), Importance of Data and Data Systems (Collection, Improvement in Quality Linkage), Automated Safety Technologies, Value of Comprehensive Networks to Prevent Injury, Addressing Poor Driving Choices (Uber-MADD partnership), Importance of Coalitions, Impaired Driving Prevention,Value of Education and Training for Public, Other Professionals, Lessons from Other Disciplines/Models, Role of Infrastructure, Value of Law/Policy in Affecting Behavior Change, Challenges in Enforcement (Commissioner Farrow Stated that “you can’t arrest your way out of this problem), Power of Messaging /Marketing, Use of “Spectrum of Prevention” Theory: Successful Behavior Change Strategies Must be Based on Behavior Change Theory and Work at Multiple Levels of Intervention

Opportunities for Innovation, Including Technologies That Can Change Behavior

Technology that can Change/Influence Individual Behavior (e.g., Applications Similar to FitBit), Telematics, Lessons from Models Outside Traffic Safety (Tobacco Control, Research on At-Risk populations, Teaching Strategies for Individuals and Groups, Such as Outreach and Positive Reinforcement).

February 10, 2016
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Overview

The second of five NHTSA Safety Summits held across the United States, this meeting focused on opportunities for innovation, including technological solutions to change driver behavior.

Number of Participants

140 (225 invited), held at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Disciplines Represented

Academia (Harvard, Yale, Fischer College and others, from Medicine, Public Health, Clinical/Social Health Research to the M.I.T. AgeLab), Associations/Foundations (AAA, National Road Safety Foundation, NYS Chiefs of Police), Corporate (CVS, Volvo Car Corporation), Government (Local, State, and Federal, including Justice Public Health, Transit ), Hospitals, Law Enforcement, Law/Justice (Academic, Private, Public), Marketing, Media/Communications (PBS), and Safety Advocacy Groups (Guns Up, Life Down Initiative).

Event Description

This interactive meeting was comprised of four working sessions with informative dialogue, and was well attended even though it was held the day after a major snowstorm. All nine States composing NHTSA Regions 1 and 2 were in attendance (Puerto Rico was represented by our Federal colleague from FHWA, and U.S. Virgin Islands colleagues did not attend).

Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in the afternoon, providing insights into the critical juncture in transportation safety, and the impact that technology will have in our future.

Challenge Areas for These States

Unrestrained Drivers and Occupants, Impaired Driving, Speeding, Unhelmeted Motorcyclist, Young Drivers and Pedestrians.

Common Themes

Safety is Personal (Presenters Shared Personal Examples), Importance of Data and Data Systems (Collection, Improvement in Timeliness, Connectivity, and Quality Linkage), Automated Safety Technologies, Value of Comprehensive Networks to Prevent Injury, Poor Driving Choices (Uber-MADD partnership), Importance of Coalitions (Gun Safety Group Partnering with Gun Shops), Impaired Driving Prevention, Value of Education and Training for Public, Lessons from Other Disciplines/Models, Role of Infrastructure, Value of Law/Policy (Social Norming), Challenges in Enforcement, Power of Messaging/Marketing (People Only Listen to Themselves/Don’t Like Being Told What to do).

Opportunities for Innovation, Including Technologies That Can Change Behavior:

Lessons from Models Outside Traffic Safety (Precision Medicine, Credible Messenger in Violence Prevention, Brief Motivational Intervention in Emergency Departments), Teaching Strategies for Individuals and Groups (Nag Power, Role of Family), Especially Children’s Influence on their Parents/Care Providers), Technologies (Texting Simulator on College Campus), and New Messaging Ideas.

February 18, 2016
Denver, Colorado

Overview

The third of five NHTSA Safety Summits held across the United States, this meeting focused on opportunities for innovation, including technological solutions to change driver behavior.

Number of Participants

113 (201 invited) convened at the U.S. DOT Building in Lakewood, Colorado.

Disciplines Represented

Academia (North Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana); Medicine, Public Health, and Social Science Research; Corporate (Anheuser-Busch, Bellco Credit Union); Non-profit (Delta Dental, Denver Art Museum, National Ski Association); Government (Local, State, Federal, Including State Attorney General’s Office, National Park Service, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice), Marketing, Social Media/Communications and Safety Advocacy Groups (Bicycle Colorado, Live Well Colorado).

Event Description

This interactive Summit was comprised of four panels with invited speakers and discussants as well as a working lunch that presented new strategies in communications and messaging. Five States representing NHTSA Region 8 were in attendance. (The Nevada Office of Traffic Safety did not attend this meeting, as they participated in the Sacramento Safety Summit).

Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in the afternoon, providing insights into the critical juncture in transportation safety, and the impact that technology will have in our future.

NHTSA Administrator Quotes in the Denver Post (2/2016)

“We have to change the conversation," Rosekind said. "Everybody knows about the health and exercise revolution we've had over the last few decades. We've not had that same kind of revolution with safety."

“If something doesn't change drastically in the way Americans think about traffic safety,” Rosekind said, “it will take decades and hundreds of thousands or more of lives lost before the country reaches zero traffic fatalities.”

"We can't wait for that…That's not acceptable. We're about to see a huge transition in the way we talk about traffic safety in this country. Technology and human choices will remain the hot topics for years to come.”

Challenge Areas for These States

Unrestrained Drivers and Occupants, Impaired Driving, Speeding, Unhelmeted Motorcyclist, Young Drivers, Pedestrians, Drowsy and Distracted Drivers.

Common Themes

Safety is Local, Importance of Data and Data Systems (Collection, Improvement in Quality Linkage), Safety as a Corporate/Organization Core Value, Incorporate Health Behavior and Public Health Models in Safety Programming, Power of Messaging/Marketing, Value of Education and Training, Especially in Corporate Setting.

Opportunities for Innovation, Including Technologies That Can Change Behavior:

Lessons from Models Outside Traffic Safety (Grandmother Project on Breastfeeding, DuPont Safety Curve, Cancer Prevention, Frieden Pyramid of Health Impact, Corporate Safety Strategies), Teaching Strategies for Individuals and Groups (Rethink how to Reach Millennials), and Technologies (Refining Geographic Information Systems Use of Traffic and Injury Data), and New Messaging Ideas.

February 23, 2016
Atlanta, Georgia

Overview

The fourth of five NHTSA Safety Summits held across the United States, this meeting focused on opportunities for innovation, including technological solutions to change driver behavior.

Number of Participants

115 (230 invited), held at the Georgia State Police Capitol Center in downtown Atlanta.

Disciplines Represented

Academia (Emory, University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and others, from public health and social science research), Corporate/Non-Profit (NASCAR, Publix, UPS, Atlanta Gas Light), Government (Local, State, Federal, Including Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Law Enforcement, Law/Justice (Academic, Public), Marketing, and Safety Advocacy Groups (MADD, Safe Kids).

Event Description

This interactive meeting was comprised of four working sessions with informative dialogue, and a working lunch where a physician presented an inspiring portrayal of traffic injuries and deaths as a public health call to action. Five States representing NHTSA Region 4 were in attendance (including all Region 4 State Patrol Colonels and the North Carolina Colonel).

Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in the afternoon, providing insights into the critical juncture in transportation safety, and the impact that technology will have in our future.

2016_NHTSA_Stats

NHTSA Administrator Quotes

“Haven’t we learned that in our society, when you silo information, there is a great program working in one part of the country but the other part of the country does not know about it. So, part of the reason NHTSA is doing this is trying to bring all of our State partners together. So, five regional meetings, which means we are covering the whole country to exchange ideas.

By spring we will actually have concrete actions, and probably be both strengthening the programs we have and identifying some brand new stuff that has never been done before that’s going to create opportunities to save lives we are not saving now.”

Challenge Areas for These States

Unrestrained Drivers and Occupants, Impaired Driving, Speeding, Unhelmeted Motorcyclist, Young Drivers, Pedestrians, Drowsy and Distracted Drivers.

Common Themes

Safety is Local, Importance of Data and Data Systems (Collection, Improvement in Quality Linkage), Safety as a Corporate/Organization Core Value, Incorporate Health Behavior and Public Health Models in Safety Programming, Power of Messaging/Marketing, Value of Education and Training, Especially in Corporate Setting.

Opportunities for Innovation, Including Technologies That Can Change Behavior:

Lessons from Models Outside Traffic Safety (Grandmother Project on Breastfeeding, DuPont Safety Curve, Cancer Prevention, Frieden Pyramid of Health Impact, Corporate Safety Strategies), Teaching Strategies for Individuals and Groups (Rethink how to Reach Millennials), and Technologies (Refining Geographic Information Systems Use of Traffic and Injury Data), and New Messaging Ideas.

March 1, 2016
Fort Worth, Texas

Overview

The final of five NHTSA Safety Summits held across the United States, this meeting focused on opportunities for innovation, including technological solutions to change driver behavior.

Number of Participants

138 (345 invited), held at the Downtown Hilton in Fort Worth, Texas.

Disciplines Represented

Academia (From Medicine and Clinical/Social Health Research to Health and Safety Culture), Associations (American College of Emergency Physicians, Gallup, GHSA, ENA, MADD, National Safety Council), Corporate (American Airlines, AT&T, DFW International Airport Authority, Greyhound) Government (Local, State, Federal, including Mental Health, Justice, Public Health, Transit, Trucking), Law Enforcement, Law (Academic, Private, Public), Legislators, Marketing, Safety Advocacy Groups, Prevention, Safety Product Vendors, Toxicology, Treatment, and Others.

Event Description

This interactive forum featured four panel sessions with informative dialogue, and a networking lunch that allowed participants to exchange ideas and develop new contacts.

Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in the afternoon, providing insights into the critical juncture in transportation safety, and the impact that technology will have in our future.

Media Quotes

U.S. DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx

“Some studies suggest that we could see as much as an 80-percent reduction in fatalities so that’s why we take a very aggressive view that is technology that we need to advance”
- Sacramento Bee Video 2/8/2016

NHTSA Administrator, Mark R. Rosekind, Ph.D.

“Kicking off a series of nationwide summits in Sacramento, Rosekind says they are trying to fix the human behavior that causes 94 percent of crashes. Cellphones are a big problem. "Once that buzzer goes off they don't know what to do except to reach for it. One strategy is to put it in the trunk," Rosekind suggested.”
- KFBK News Radio 2/5/2016

Challenge Areas for these States

Unrestrained Drivers and Occupants, Impaired Driving, Pedestrian/Bicyclist Safety, Motorcycle Safety and Speeding.

Common Themes

Safety is Personal (Presenters Shared Personal Examples), Importance of Data and Data Systems (Collection, Improvement in Quality Linkage), Automated Safety Technologies, Value of Comprehensive Networks to Prevent Injury, Addressing Poor Driving Choices (Uber-MADD partnership), Importance of Coalitions, Impaired Driving Prevention,Value of Education and Training for Public, Other Professionals, Lessons from Other Disciplines/Models, Role of Infrastructure, Value of Law/Policy in Affecting Behavior Change, Challenges in Enforcement (Commissioner Farrow Stated that “you can’t arrest your way out of this problem), Power of Messaging /Marketing, Use of “Spectrum of Prevention” Theory: Successful Behavior Change Strategies Must be Based on Behavior Change Theory and Work at Multiple Levels of Intervention.

Opportunities for Innovation, Including Technologies That Can Change Behavior:

Technology that can Change/Influence Individual Behavior (e.g., Applications Similar to FitBit), Telematics, Lessons from Models Outside Traffic Safety (Tobacco Control, Research on At-Risk populations, Teaching Strategies for Individuals and Groups, Such as Outreach and Positive Reinforcement).

Overview of 2016
NHTSA Safety Summits

Download NHTSA Safety Summits Presentation

Overview

NHTSA held five Safety Summits across the United States between February 5 and March 1, 2016.
These meetings focused on opportunities for innovation, including technological solutions to change driver behavior.

Number of Participants

A total of 650 individuals participated, representing 29 States and over 100 organizations.

Disciplines Represented

Academia (Wide-Ranging, from Agriculture to Medicine, Clinical/Social Health and Economics), Corporate, Government (Local, State, Federal), Hospitals, Public Health, Law Enforcement, Law, Legislators, Marketing, Media, Safety Advocacy, Safety Product Vendors, and Individuals Interested in Highway Safety and Public Safety.

Event Description

This interactive summit consisted of four working sessions with informative dialogue, and a networking lunch where participants engaged in dialogue with people they did not previously know.

From the NHTSA Administrator

“If something doesn't change drastically in the way Americans think about traffic safety,” Rosekind said, “it will take decades and hundreds of thousands or more of lives lost before the country reaches zero traffic fatalities.”-
- The Denver Post 2/18/16

Challenge Areas

Unrestrained Drivers and Occupants, Impaired Driving, Pedestrian/Bicyclist Safety, Motorcycle Safety, Unhelmeted Motorcyclists, Speeding, Young Drivers and Older Drivers.

Common Themes

  • Safety is Personal, Safety is Local
  • Importance of Data and Data Systems
  • Automated Safety Technologies (and the Relationship to Choosing Safe Behavior)
  • Value of Comprehensive Networks to Prevent Injury
  • Poor Driving Choices, Individual Responsibility
  • Importance of Coalitions
  • Impaired Driving Prevention to Avoid Re-offense
  • Value of Education and Training for Public
  • Lessons from Other Disciplines/Models (Teen Birth Rate Reduction, Smoking Prevention Programs, Oral Health Campaigns, Diving Accident Prevention, Soil Fertilization Education, Ski Helmet Promotion)
  • Role of Infrastructure in Behavioral Safety
  • Value of Law/Policy
  • Challenges in Enforcement
  • Power of Messaging, Marketing and Communicating across Populations