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Research Reports

Based on consumer research

From child passenger safety to drunk driving, NHTSA research covers a variety of topics in the highway traffic safety world. These research reports stem from focus groups held with people from around the United States.

The below list is sorted by the most recent research reports. 

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. 

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.

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.

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 Report: 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 Report: 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 Bags

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.