Motor Vehicle Safety

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Prevention and Risk Factors

Learn More

• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Journal Articles

Resources

• No links available

For You

• Children
• Women
• Older Adults
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Every year thousands of people in the U.S. die from motor vehicle crashes. Trying to prevent these crashes is one part of motor vehicle safety. Here are some things you can do to be safer on the road:

• Make sure your vehicle is safe and in working order
• Use car seats for children
• Wear your seat belt
• Don't speed or drive aggressively
• Don't drive impaired

Safety also involves being aware of others. Share the road with bicycles and motorcycles, and watch for pedestrians.

Prevention and Risk Factors

• CDC Vital Signs: Motor Vehicle Crash Injuries: Costly but Preventable (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Auto Battery Safety Facts (Prevent Blindness America) - PDF

Statistics and Research

• 2016 Traffic Safety Culture Index (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety) - PDF
• CDC Vital Signs: Adult Seat Belt Use in the US (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• CDC Vital Signs: Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• CDC Vital Signs: Trucker Safety Also in Spanish

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Twenty miles per hour speed zones reduce the danger to pedestrians...
• Article: Vehicle safety features aimed at preventing alcohol-related crashes.
• Article: Optimal jam-absorption driving strategy for mitigating rear-end collision risks with oscillations...
• Motor Vehicle Safety -- see more articles

Children

• AAP Updates Recommendations on Car Seats (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Auto Safety (Nemours Foundation)
• CDC Vital Signs: Child Passenger Safety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Children in Hot Cars Result in Fatal Consequences (American College of Emergency Physicians)
• Staying Safe in the Car and on the Bus (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• What Are Some Ways to Promote Infant Safety in a Car? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Women

• Pregnancy: Should I Use a Seat Belt? (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Older Adults

• How Do You Know When It's Time to Give up the Keys? (Administration for Community Living) - PDF
• Older Drivers (National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Driving and older adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish