Research Based on consumer research From child passenger safety to drunk driving, NHTSA research covers a variety of topics in the highway traffic safety world. The research stems from focus groups held with people from around the United States.The below list is sorted by the most recent research. Drunk Driving Social Norming April 2025 Tracking Study: Recognition of ads with the tagline Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Drug-Impaired Driving Social Norming April 2025 Tracking Study: Show awareness, attitudes, and behaviors related to drug-impaired driving prevention campaign. Teen Driver Safety March 2025 Concept Testing: Test creative concepts aimed at encouraging teen drivers to practice safe driving behaviors when they’re driving or riding in a vehicle by following the rules of the road and to encourage parents of teen drivers to take ownership of ensuring safety when their teen is driving or riding in a vehicle by promoting safe driving practices. Drunk & Drug-Impaired Driving December 2024 Segmentation Research: Understand drivers and motorcycle riders who are at risk for impaired driving and riding by segmenting the market based on attitudes and behaviors. Child Safety Heatstroke Prevention October 2024 Tracking Study: Show the reach of the campaign through time by gauging awareness, attitudinal, and behavioral trends among the target audience. Vehicle Safety Air Bag Recalls October 2024 Concept Testing: Evaluate and assess creative concepts that communicate the dangers open air bag recalls have to consumers (specifically Takata air bags), with the goal of increasing recall repair rates. Drunk Driving Social Norming June 2024 Exploratory Research: Uncover the effectiveness of the Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving tagline given shifts in attitudes and driving behaviors pertaining to buzzed driving. Vehicle Safety Recalls May 2024 Exploratory Research: Understand the mindset of drivers, clarify barriers and identify potential motivators to complete recall repairs. Child Safety Car Seat Safety April 2024 Concept Testing: Test three creative concepts to assess levels of relevance, attention, and motivation before production. Drunk Driving | Motorcycle Enforcement April 2024 Concept Testing: Evaluate video concepts for a future advertisement designed to increase awareness among motorcycle riders of the law-enforcement-related risks of riding a motorcycle while impaired. Child Safety Heatstroke Prevention February 2024 Concept Testing: Gather video/non-video feedback from parents and caregivers to understand their thoughts and feelings towards the creative messaging created for the cause of preventing child heatstroke deaths. Seat Belt Safety | Rural Enforcement February 2024 Concept Testing: Evaluate advertising concepts designed to influence young men in rural areas to wear their seat belts every time they drive or ride in a vehicle by promoting awareness of the costly consequences that go far beyond a ticket. Distracted Driving Enforcement January 2024 Concept Testing: Evaluate logo and tagline concepts for a campaign to influence men and women to not use a phone while driving by highlighting the enforcement consequences of distracted driving. Child Safety Car Seat Safety August 2023 Exploratory Research: Obtain insights that may help evolve child car safety campaign to best reach and motivate parents/caregivers of children. Drunk Driving Enforcement August 2023 Concept Testing: Evaluate advertising concepts designed to influence young men to plan for a sober ride by highlighting that a bad decision to drive after drinking alcohol could result in a DUI. Drunk Driving Social Norming April 2023 Tracking Study: Show how campaign messaging is resonating with the target audience and affecting behaviors around drinking and driving. Drug-Impaired Driving Social Norming April 2023 Tracking Study: Show how campaign messaging is resonating with the target audience and affecting behaviors related to driving after consuming marijuana. Seat Belt Safety Enforcement February 2023 Concept Testing: Evaluate advertising concepts designed to influence young men to wear their seat belt every time they drive or ride in a vehicle by promoting awareness of the costly consequences that go far beyond a ticket. Distracted Driving Enforcement January 2023 Concept Testing: Evaluate how well concepts and message statements communicate the message to avoid driving while being distracted by cellular devices by promoting awareness of enforcement consequences to drivers. Distracted Driving Enforcement October 2022 Mindset Research: Understand the mindset of drivers, specifically how they think about distracted driving, potential law enforcement consequences, what affects their behavior and how to effectively position law enforcement in advertising related to distracted driving. Drug-Impaired Driving Enforcement October 2022 Concept Testing: Evaluate the effectiveness of concepts in communicating the message to avoid driving after using marijuana by promoting awareness of the enforcement consequences to men. Drunk Driving Social Norming October 2022 Qualitative Research: Shift the dialogue from drunk driving to buzzed driving and seek learnings from a cross-cultural audience. Drug-Impaired Driving Enforcement July 2022 Mindset Research: Help get inside the minds of the target audience who consume cannabis and better understand consumption habits, language preferences, driving after consumption and roles of advertising. Vehicle Safety | Spanish Air Bag Recalls September 2021 Concept Testing: Evaluate three online banner ad concepts designed to build awareness among Hispanics around critical air bag recalls and the importance of getting them fixed. If you have questions regarding the research found on this page, please contact us.
United States Department of Transportation