Last fall, Safe States Alliance released a driver safety report of strategies and recommendations for reducing risky driver behavior. The report, which is primarily for traffic safety and public health professionals, provides detail on interventions that reduce crash-related fatalities and injuries and advice on how to measure the impact of these intervention efforts.

The report uses a public health framework in it’s approach consisting of four key steps: define the problem, identify risk and protective factors, develop and test prevention strategies, and assure widespread adoption. Key definitions for what constitutes a risk factor (higher likelihood of negative outcomes) versus a protective factor (higher likelihood of positive outcomes) in the context of motor vehicle crashes are provided as well as the difference between behavior change (informed by social and behavioral science theories) and evidence-based strategies (empirically tested). The psychological model of social ecological was used to organize risk and protective factors related to several risky driving behaviors including not wearing a seatbelt, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, speeding, drowsy and aggressive driving and distraction. All users are encouraged to support research linking traffic safety, mental health, law enforcement and policy, public health and substance abuse prevention.

Visit Safe States Driver Safety Report to read learn more.

Sources:

Safe States Alliance. (2019). Resource Document: Strategies to Address Shared Risk and Protective Factors for Driver Safety. Atlanta, GA: Safe States Alliance.

SafeStates.org