Center for Motor Vehicle Safety Launches Strategic Plan, Driving Innovation Forward

Press Contact: Nura Sadeghpour (202) 245-0673

On May 1^st, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released the strategic plan for its Center for Motor Vehicle Safety, a blueprint for paving the way to reduce the burden of work-related crashes.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the United States. The Center for Motor Vehicle Safety was established at NIOSH in December 2010 in order to better coordinate research and prevention activities related to prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes. NIOSH is the only federal agency whose mission covers the prevention of work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries for all worker populations, work vehicles, and work settings.

“Millions of workers in the United States are exposed to hazards of motor vehicle traffic,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “NIOSH has been engaged in research to promote motor vehicle safety in the workplace for many years and the new strategic plan gives the Center the flexibility to address emerging issues along with longstanding safety concerns.”

The NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety is guided by the vision that: All workers who are exposed to hazards of motor vehicle traffic while working have the highest possible levels of protection from the risk of motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. Under the umbrella of the Center, researchers from across NIOSH work collaboratively with partners from the public and private sectors to reduce the burden of work-related crashes.

The Strategic Plan for Research and Prevention, 2014–2018 describes the vision, mission, and scope for the NIOSH Center for Motor Vehicle Safety, placing the Center’s work in the context of complementary work of other U.S. federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international partners. The Center has identified five strategic areas for its work to reduce work-related crashes and their impacts:

• Advancing understanding of risk factors associated with work-related motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries through epidemiologic analyses
• Implementing and evaluating engineering and technology-based safety interventions
• Validating and promoting implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based road safety management policies and interventions
• Advancing work-related road safety globally through national and international collaborations
• Enhancing availability of clear and concise guidance and informational products on the prevention of work-related crashes and resulting injuries

To download a copy of the new strategic plan, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2014-122. To learn more about the Center for Motor Vehicle Safety, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/motorvehicle/.

NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses. It was established under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. For further information, visit www.cdc.gov/niosh.