Safety Program Evaluation

		Projects addressing the effectiveness of vehicle occupant protection systems represent a major area of work for TransAnalytics.

		Our child passenger safety (CPS) certified staff have trained and coordinated field observation teams to obtain national measures of the use and misuse of child restraint systems (CRS), and other occupant restraint devices including LATCH (Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHildren) systems.

		Closely related work has evaluated the effectiveness of public information and education programs, "car seat" inspection stations, and law enforcement strategies to improve the proper use of CRSs, booster seats, and safety belts. These evaluations have been conducted across all socio-economic levels, including minority (Latino and African-American) communities.

		This work has been performed for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (PAAAP) Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP), and Safe Kids Worldwide.

For the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT), TransAnalytics staff have evaluated the effectiveness of the Commonwealth's program to re-examine aging drivers for medical fitness to drive; an expanded vision testing program including contrast sensitivity screening; and we are currently evaluating and updating the Driver's Manual and knowledge test used in Pennsylvania by all who apply for their first-time driver's license in the state.

For the Federal Highway Administration (Office Of Motor Carriers), we provided a critical review and developed recommendations for vision criteria for commercial (interstate) motor vehicle drivers.

		Staff recently completed a guidebook for observing occupant restraint system use and misuse for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS). The purpose of the guide is to help traffic safety and other groups better assess safety belt and child restraint system use in their communities. The guide is set up in separate instruction modules to help the user focus on their particular field observation needs. The purpose of this NHTSA project was to collect quantitative data and other information on whether LATCH technology (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) was being used in vehicles equipped with LATCH and whether it was beng used correcty in the installation of CRSs.