North Dakota Statewide Traffic Safety Survey, 2021: Traffic Safety Performance Measures for State and Federal Agencies

Vachal, Kimberly; Kubas, Andrew · 2021 · ROSA P / Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

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Summary

This report presents the findings of the 2021 North Dakota Statewide Traffic Safety Survey, conducted by the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute for the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). The study addresses the need for reliable metrics to monitor driver attitudes, awareness, and self-reported behaviors regarding traffic safety. Motivated by the United States’ higher road traffic death rate compared to other developed nations, the survey aligns with Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Minimum Performance Measures. The primary goal was to provide baseline data on core safety issues—impaired driving, seat belt use, and speeding—to support state and federal agencies in setting goals, allocating resources, and evaluating behavioral safety programs. The researchers employed a mail survey methodology, distributing questionnaires to a disproportionate stratified random sample of 10,729 licensed drivers selected from NDDOT records. The sampling strategy oversampled drivers aged 18–34 and stratified participants by region (east/west) and geography (urban/rural) to ensure robust analysis of high-risk groups. Of the 1,557 returned surveys, 1,515 were deemed valid. To correct for sampling disparities and ensure the results reflected the statewide driver population, the authors applied post-stratification weighting based on age, gender, and location. The survey instrument included core questions standardized by GHSA-NHTSA, alongside additional items tailored to North Dakota’s specific safety priorities, such as distracted driving and drugged driving. Key findings indicate improvements in several safe driving practices. Self-reported seat belt use reached a record high, with 77.9% of drivers reporting they always wear seat belts, up from 77.1% in 2020. Impaired driving behaviors also declined; 28.6% of respondents admitted to driving within two hours of consuming one or two alcoholic drinks, a decrease from 32.6% in 2020, while only 4.4% reported driving after consuming three or more drinks, the lowest figure in nine years. Perceptions of enforcement varied significantly: 62.4% of drivers believed there was a high likelihood of arrest for driving under the influence, compared to 60.3% for speeding and only 29.1% for seat belt violations. The data revealed a correlation between risky behaviors; drivers who admitted to driving after drinking were less likely to perceive a risk of ticketing for speeding or unbelted driving, suggesting a clustering of dangerous behaviors. Additionally, exposure to safety messages correlated with behavior; high exposure to impaired driving and seat belt campaigns corresponded with lower rates of negative behavior, whereas low exposure to distracted driving messages coincided with higher rates of self-reported distraction. The significance of this report lies in its provision of comprehensive, weighted data that enhances the NDDOT’s ability to evaluate the effectiveness of enforcement and education initiatives. By demonstrating that both enforcement perceptions and educational exposure positively influence driver behavior, the findings support continued investment in targeted safety campaigns. The data also highlights areas requiring further attention, particularly regarding distracted driving and the low perceived risk of seat belt enforcement. These metrics serve as critical inputs for the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan and Vision Zero initiatives, enabling data-driven adjustments to reduce fatalities and injuries on North Dakota roadways.

Key finding

Self-reported seat belt use reached a record high of 77.9% in 2021, while 28.6% of drivers admitted to driving within two hours of consuming one or two alcoholic beverages.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 1515

Provenance

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Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• seat belt use
• sex gender
• incidence prevalence
• public messaging
• traffic safety culture
• cultural cross national

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource