AnnuAl RepoRt - University of Alabama at Birmingham

Annual Report
Traffic Safety & Injury Control
2009-2010
The UAB University Transportation Center
www.uab.edu/utc
ray lahood - US Secretary OF TRANSPORTATION
addressing the 2009 alabama distracted driving summit

MAILING ADDRESS | street ADDRESS | PHONE | FAX | STAFF
Contact Information
UAB University Transportation Center
MAILING ADDRESS:
1530 3rd Avenue South
CH-19 401
Birmingham, AL 35294-2041
street ADDRESS:
933 19th Street South
Suite 401
Birmingham, AL 35205
PHONE:
205.934.7845
FAX:
205.975.8143
STAFF:
Dr. Russ Fine, Director
rfine@uab.edu
205.934.1448
Dr. Gerald McGwin Jr.,
Associate Director for Research & Scientific Oversight
mcgwin@uab.edu
205.975.3036
Mr. Jeffrey Foster,
Associate Director for Administration & Finance
fosterau@uab.edu
205.996.6086
Dr. Jay Goldman,
Associate Director for Research & Scientific Oversight Emeritus
jay.goldman1@gmail.com
205.980.5822 / 205.907.1765
Dr. Kathleen Bolland, Education and Outreach Advisor
kbolland@sw.ua.edu
205.348.3926
Dr. Andrea Underhill, Research Consultant
moonpie@uab.edu
Dr. Despina Stavrinos, Post-Doctoral Fellow
dstavrin@uab.edu
205.934.7861
Ms. Crystal Franklin, Program Administrator
crynklin@uab.edu
205.934.1643
The University of Alabama at Birmingham administers its educational programs
and activities, including admission, without regard to race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age, handicap, or Viet Nam era or disabled veteran status.

Table of Contents
Director’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Center Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Management Structure
& Principal Center Staff . . . . . . . . . . 6
Figure 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Leadership Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The UAB UTC’s Principal Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Advisory Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
UAB UTC Recognized Ozge Cavusoglu as 2009-2010 Student of the Year . . . . 12
First Student Earns Certificate in Transportation Safety & Injury Control Engineering . . 13
UAB UTC Partners with Mountain-Plains Consortium
for Expanded Educational Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Transportation Plays Key Role in SOPH Injury Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
UAB UTC Affiliated TRIP Laboratory ® Offers Unique Opportunities
for Students in Non-Traditional Transportation Disciplines . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
UAB UTC Welcomes Second Minority Enrichment Transportation Intern . . . . . . 18
UAB UTC’s First Minority Enrichment Transportation Intern – One Year Later . . . . . 19
Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Domain 1: Emergency Medical Services and Congestion . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21
Domain 2: Development of a Dynamic Traffic Assignment and Simulation Model
for Incident and Emergency Management Applications in the Birmingham Region 22-23
Domain 3: Small-Scale Research Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Urban Sprawl Associated with Increased Emergency Response Times . . . . . . . 25
Automatic Crash Notification Can Increase Chances of Survival . . . . . . . . . 26
Traffic Congestion Increases EMS Response Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Traffic Congestion Not a Priority for Emergency Dispatchers . . . . . . . . . . . 28
First Wave of UAB UTC Distracted Driving Research Complete . . . . . . . . . . 29
UAB UTC Funded Research Shows GPS Technology
Improves EMS Operational Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Products, Technologies, and
Research Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Technology Transfer Programs . . . . . 32
Research in Progress Seminars, Webinars and a State-wide Summit . . . . . . 32-33
2009 – 2010 Publications and Presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35
UTC sponsors BJCTA Executive Director Presentation and
Public Forum for UAB Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
UAB UTC Sponsored Research Featured at New Urban Congress . . . . . . . . 36
TRIP ® Lab Students Present Research Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
UAB UTC Hosts Fourth Annual Advisory Board Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39
UAB UTC Sponsored Scientist Helps Japanese Implement
Accident Crash Notification System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
UAB UTC Leaders Named to Birmingham’s
Blue Ribbon Transportation Advisory Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
UAB UTC Provides Distracted Driving Technical Guidance for Alabamians . . . . . 41
Specific Accomplishments . . . . . . . . 42
Alabama Distracted Driving Summit Hosted by UAB UTC and UTCA . . . . . 42-43
Alabama Distracted Driving Summit Panels & Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . 44-48
UAB UTC Featured in RITA Spotlight Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
New Research Laboratory Targeting Distracted Driving Established By UAB UTC . . 50
UAB UTC Welcomes New UTC Scientist and Forges New Partnership with
UAB School of Nursing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
UAB UTC Assists Fellow UTCs in Research Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
UAB UTC Explores Partnership with Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
UAB UTC Exploring Partnership with Auburn University . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
UTC Associate Director Participates in Regional Transportation Workforce
Development Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
UAB UTC Planning Alabama Transportation Workforce Development Conference . . 54
Workforce Development in Real Time: Crystal Franklin Joins UTC Staff . . . . . . . 55
Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Dr. David Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Funding, Sources & Expenditures . . . 57

Dr. Russ Fine | UAB UTC Director
Director’s Note
As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate more
fully, that each summer as we aggregate notes, memos,
reports and reminders, and as we look through photos
and correspondence essential to preparing the UTC Annual
Report, it is not the words on hastily written emails
nor those on copy paper spewing out of the duplicator or
electronic images of typed pages and carefully registered
photos on our computer monitors or in newsletters
printed on shiny paper that brings the center’s work to
life and gives it meaning… IT IS THE PEOPLE.
In this regard, the past year at the UAB UTC has been
exceedingly special. Please allow me the luxury of
reflection, and the privilege of offering a few examples
that come to mind and are described herein. There are
others, many others of course.
In September, 2009 two of us were privileged to
participate in Secretary Ray LaHood’s first National
Distracted Driving Summit. Although we have no way
of knowing for certain, we have every reason to believe
that Dr. Curt Tompkins, Director of RITA’s University
Transportation Centers Program was largely responsible
for us being invited. Although he may not realize it,
Dr. Tompkin’s advocacy on our behalf opened a career
changing (and hence, a life changing) vista for one of
this nation’s more promising, young, transportation
scientists.
And it didn’t end there. While attending the Secretary’s
Summit we had the enormous good fortune
of being introduced, albeit serendipitously and quite
casually, to Ms. Olivia Alair, DOT Secretary LaHood’s
Press Secretary. It is because of Olivia Alair that Secretary
LaHood honored the University of Alabama at
Birmingham’s UTC and our companion Center, UTC-A
by personally attending and delivering the “kick off”
speech to our own Alabama Distracted Driving Summit,
more than 900 miles but less than 70 days later. Of
course, the Secretary had to agree to come to Alabama,
but it was without question, Olivia Alair’s idea and persistence
that made the Secretary’s possible visit become
a reality. I will treasure, forever, that day; and, while
it will likely embarrass her to learn of this, I will be
forever in Ms. Alair’s debt.
A half-year later, in early June to be precise, I was
privileged to participate in the Annual CUTC Summer
Meeting on the campus of Texas A&M University in
College Station. A long-time friend and former UAB
professor who is now on faculty at A&M told me in
advance of my trip that “A&M was a special place.”
He was right, of course. But, as impressive as
everything was, it is my considered opinion that
that which I experienced was beyond special
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uab utc annual report 2009-2010

ecause of two exceptional transportation research
leaders: Dock Burke, Director of the Southwest Region
University Transportation Center and Dr. Melissa Tooley,
Director of the University Transportation Center for
Mobility. Through them, I’ve been able to experience a
“world class” transportation research environment. The
folks at Texas have raised a very high bar; a standard of
excellence that, in my opinion, should be pursued by all
the rest of us.
There are four other people,
closer to home, who have inked
themselves, indelibly, into my
consciousness and into my heart
because of risks they willingly
took when we were little more
than an idea; and, sacrifices
they’ve willingly made to
ensure our survival when times
Senator RICHARD Shelby
and challenges have been
tough… like lately. Former
Dean of Medicine, Dr. Jim Pittman; former Chair of
Medicine, Dr. Bill Koopman , Dr. Lou Bridges, current
Director of the Division of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology
and Alabama’s Senior Senator Senator Richard
Shelby. Without these four key people, it is likely … in
fact it is probable, that there would be no UTC at UAB.
There are two other people – special people - whose
mention I have purposefully saved until the end.
First is my long-time friend, advisor and colleague,
Dr. Jay Goldman who retired to
Emeritus status this past year. Jay is
Dean Emeritus of the UAB School
of Engineering. For us here on the
“other side of campus” Dr. Goldman
served as an Associate Director for
both the ICRC and the UTC and as
Assistant Director and Co-Principal
Investigator for the Southern Consortium
for Injury Biomechanics (SCIB).
He served, also, as the UAB UTC liaison to the UAB
School of Engineering, the SCIB and the University
dr. Jay goldman
Transportation Center of Alabama. Jay is a member of
the American Society for Engineering Education and a
life member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, the
National Society of Professional Engineers, and several
other organizations; and, he has held membership on
many federal, state, and university advisory panels and
study sections. But, for me personally, he was and always
will be “just Jay” … a good person who helped, guided
and advised me in the early days, when I needed it most.
Jay Goldman, a man with a quiet demeanor and a sense of
humor just “weird enough” to make him appreciate mine.
IOW, he invariably “got” and laughed at my jokes; even
the ones told poorly. Thanks for that, Jay. Since the
mid-1980s Jay and I have shared many smiles. Without
question, it has been my good fortune to have worked
with this very unique, talented man. We miss his involvement
in the things we are doing now, but if anyone has
ever paid their professional dues in full and earned a
wonderful retirement, it is Jay Goldman.
And finally, the most difficult “people part” of this past
year was losing my Assistant of twenty years – Gail
Hardin. Because of a lengthy, life-threatening illness,
Gail was forced into a medical / disability retirement in
March. With no disrespect to the wonderful young woman,
Crystal Franklin, who now occupies her space, but not
“her place” I still find myself whirling in my chair from
time to time, looking through the door that connected our
offices … and almost speaking her name. Some time ago,
I jotted down a few thoughts about Gail – the person –
and how much she grew to mean to me and all the others
who worked with us, over the years:
“Little did I dream, that day in 1990, when she
showed up in a small space I was sharing with
my young graduate student helper (who has
since become Senior Associate Dean for
Administration in the School of Medicine),
that I had just encountered the Center’s
eventual institutional memory bank,
psychological lynch-pin, Mother-In-Residence
and the sister for whom I had always longed.”
I remember my late Father describing the most
important quality of a drummer in a small ensemble.
A professional musician before becoming a physician,
Dad used to say “you never hear a good drummer; you
feel him. They’re just there.” Gail was and is a great
drummer.
For all of those mentioned here, by name, as well as all
the others who could have been and probably should have
been, Thank You. Thank you for your humanity and thank
you for being part of this Center’s history and heart.
Dr. Russ Fine
UAB UTC Director
mrs. gail hardin
DIRECTOR’S NOTE 3

UAB UTC’s theme is Traffic Safety and Injury Control
Center Theme
The UAB UTC’s theme is Traffic Safety and Injury Control. The Center’s Advisory Board
recommended adoption of this theme because it was judged to support: (1) the United States
Department of Transportation’s vision of safer, simpler and smarter transportation; (2) the first goal
of the Federal Transit Administration’s strategy plan of safety and security; (3) the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration’s goal of addressing the most significant traffic and motor vehicle safety
issues; and, (4) the Federal Highway Administration’s goal of reducing the number of highway-related
fatalities and injuries.
The UTC theme is an excellent fit for the UAB
Injury Control Research Center’s (ICRC) faculty,
because it complements the ICRC’s Mission,
which is: “To help the nation achieve a significant
reduction in the rate of injuries and their resulting
deaths and disabilities, especially in the southeastern
United States.” In the United States in 2007,
there were more than 123,700 unintentional injury
deaths in persons less than 1 year of age through
older than 85 years of age. Of these deaths,
approximately 36% were motor vehicle-related, a
proportion essentially unchanged from the year before.
However, this figure and proportion increases
substantially when four additional transportationrelated
categories, (1) Other Land Transport, (2)
Other Transport, (3) Pedestrian and (4) Pedal
Cyclist, are added to the mix. The UAB UTC
Theme and the activities conducted in its support
apply to more than one mode of transportation. To
this end, the research, education and technology
transfer activities of the UAB UTC are addressing
problems, issues and challenges associated
with private motor vehicles, commercial carriers
and transit. Since the UAB UTC is the first – and,
to our knowledge, the only – UTC ever to be
established within a School of Medicine which
is a major component of the University of Alabama
at Birmingham, a high-profile research
university, the UAB UTC has chosen to address
medically related issues such as (1) the impact
of congestion on motor vehicle crash-related
(MVC) injury outcome as a function of the
“golden hour”/first-responder access; (2) traffic
management and emergency preparedness via
development of a dynamic traffic assignment
and simulation model for incident and emergency
management applications; (3) achieving
a statistically significant reduction in morbidity
and mortality associated with MVCs occurring
in medically under served, rural areas of a large
Southern state; and, in response to DOT Secretary
Ray LaHood’s newly stated priority, a fourth
activity domain was established this past year:
distracted driving.
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uab utc annual report 2009-2010

From 2004 to 2008, seat
belts saved over 75,000 lives
— enough people to fill a
large sports arena.
CENTER THEME 5

FIGURE 1 | LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES | FIGURE 2 | The UAB UTC’s Principal Staff | The Advisory Board
Management Structure & Principal
The UAB Injury Control Research Center (UAB-ICRC), Dr. Russ Fine, Principal Investigator, is the
designated grantee to which the UAB UTC was awarded. Thus, the integrated approach to the UTC’s
management is both efficient and highly cost-effective (see inside back cover, Funding Sources &
Expenditures). For example, the ICRC’s management paradigm addresses all the functions and
programs of the Center, whether research, education, training or service (Figure 1).
The Director and two Associate Directors, Mr. Jeff Foster and Dr. Gerald McGwin comprise the
Center’s Leadership Committee. Associate Director Emeritus, Dr. Jay Goldman serves the Leadership
Committee on an ad hoc basis. The Leadership Committee formulates the operating policies and
administrative procedures that are used to guide UTC activities.
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uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Center Staff
university of alabama
at birmingham
Dr. Carol Garrison, President
Figure 1
uab School of Medicine
Dr. Ray Watts,
Dean & Senior Vice President for Medicine
UAB Injury Control
Research Center
Dr. Russ Fine,
Director and Principal Investigator
Southern Consortium
for INjury
Biomechanics
UAB University
Transportation
Center
Advisory
Board
Dr. Russ Fine, Director and Principal Investigator
Associate Director
for Administration
& Finance
Mr. Jeffrey Foster
program
administrator
Ms. Crystal Franklin
post-doctoral
fellow
Dr. Despina Stavrinos
Associate Director for
Research & Scientific
Oversight
Dr. Gerald McGwin, Jr.
Education &
Outreach Advisor
Dr. Kathleen Bolland
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE & PRINCIPAL CENTER STAFF 7

Leadership Responsibilities
The UAB UTC Director, Dr. Russ Fine, has global
responsibility for operations of the Center. He provides
leadership, vision and cohesiveness, and instills and
nurtures centeredness through experienced, daily, ongoing
engagement rather than simply serving as manager
of an array of loosely aggregated activities and workers.
Dr. Fine fosters relationships with intra- and extra-mural
personnel, agencies institutions, schools, departments,
divisions and centers by delegating specific aspects of his
overall responsibilities to two Associate Directors.
The Associate Director for Research and Scientific
Oversight and Vice Chair of UAB’s Department of Epidemiology,
Dr. Gerald McGwin Jr, coordinates and supervises
the UTC’s research efforts and research support personnel,
provides guidance for intramural and extramural
research project selection and external review processes,
and interfaces with various UAB school and research
entities. Dr. McGwin is an internationally known and
highly regarded injury epidemiologist who, since the
UTC’s research program was launched, has been the
Principal Investigator of one of the UTC’s three major
research domains: Emergency Medical Services and
Congestion. More about Dr. McGwin’s extensive background
and qualifications for this appointment appear
elsewhere in this document.
Dr. Jay Goldman retired this past year and during that
time has served the UTC in an Emeritus capacity.
Dr. Goldman’s years of service as an Engineering
School Dean, as a classroom professor, as an investigator
and research administrator, have provided current
Center leadership with the benefit of his vast experience
and professional network. The UTC is grateful to
Dr. Goldman for his many and varied contributions to
UAB UTC activities.
The Associate Director for Administration and Finance,
Mr. Jeffrey Foster, is responsible for managing and
coordinating all day-to-day operations and support activities
of the UAB UTC. This includes working closely
with Drs. Fine, McGwin and Goldman on matters
pertaining to the UTC visioning, policy promulgation,
implementation and monitoring, as well as nurturing
and promoting relationships with a host of extramural
and intramural departments, agencies, organizations and
individuals. In addition, Mr. Foster is the UTC’s day-today
interface with our DOT-based RITA Project Officer
(Figure 2). Mr. Foster was named the UTC’s Associate
Director for Administration and Finance in January
2010 when the former Associate Director for Administration
and Finance, Dr. Andrea Underhill retired from
full-time employment secondary to moving to the State
of Georgia.
Secretary ray lahood
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uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Office of the Director /
Principal Investigator
Dr. Russ Fine
• Provides leadership, direction, global center management,
program vision, guidance and opportunity identification
• Supervises program operations, planning, implementation and
quality assurance
• Assures policy promulgation and compliance
• Coordinates activities of the Advisory Board
• Promotes and nurtures relationships with governmental agencies
and private-sector human service organizations
• Coordinates and promotes intramural and extramural relations
with academic entities
• Directs the UAB Injury Control Research Center (UAB ICRC)
• Directs the Southern Consortium for Injury Biomechanics (SCIB)
Figure 2
Office of the
Associate
Director for
Research and
Scientific Oversight
Dr. Gerald McGwin, Jr.
• Directs the Office of Research and Scientific
Oversight, the Research Support Services Unit
and the Oversight and Evaluation Unit
• Provides management and oversight of the
Center’s intramural, extramural and seed
grant research programs including the project
selection and external review process
• Serves as the Center’s working liaison with
the UAB School of Engineering and the
Southern Consortium for Injury Biomechanics
• Co-directs the UAB ICRC
• Co-directs the SCIB
Office of the
Associate Director
for Administration
and Finance
Mr. Jeffrey Foster
• Directs the management and coordination of all non-research
programmatic and support activities of the Center
• Develops budgets on Center and project level; interfaces
with intramural and extramural parties having budgetrelated
interests; prepares financial reports and other
documentation for the funding agency; and reconciles
financial statements and reports
• Assists in the coordination and management of the
research project selection process, assists in the monitoring
of research project quality and progress; maintains
currency of information in the Project Management Reporting
system; plans and executes all grant application and
non-competitive renewal activities; coordinates submission
of final research reports
• Supervises the UTC Outreach and Education Liaison and
the UTC Webmaster; writes and produces UTC newsletters
and annual reports; represents and speaks on behalf
of the UTC at intramural and extramural events; interfaces
with outside print and electronic media; serves as primary
interface with the UTC funding agency and with other
parties of interest
• Coordinates meetings of UTC members and affiliates; facilitates
UTC investigator and staff activities; assists in the
development and execution of education and technology
transfer activities
• Facilitates pre-activity and renewal-oriented continuation
approval from oversight boards and regulatory agencies;
ensures project-related personnel and activities are in
compliance with IRB, HIPAA, CIRB and/or the IACUC
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE & PRINCIPAL CENTER STAFF 9

The UAB UTC’s Principal Staff
Center Director
Philip R. (Russ) Fine, PhD, MSPH
Dr. Fine is the founding director and principal
investigator of the UAB UTC, the UAB Injury
Control Research Center (1988) and The Southern
Consortium for Injury Biomechanics (2000). Dr.
Fine is Professor of Medicine in the Department
of Medicine. He has been on the UAB Faculty of
Medicine since 1975 and earned, for UAB, more
than $47 million in research grants, contracts or
other types of funding awards during his 36 year
career. He is the author or co-author of more than
100 contributions to the scientific literature and a
member of numerous professional, scientific
societies and organizations.
Associate Director for Research & Scientific Oversight
Gerald McGwin, Jr., PhD, MS
Dr. McGwin has been associated with the UAB
UTC as a Principal Investigator and Research
Domain director since 2007. He is the Associate
Director for the UAB Center of Injury Sciences as
well as professor and vice-chairman of the School
of Public Health’s Department of Epidemiology.
Dr. McGwin is director of the Center for Clinical
and Translational Science (CCTS) Design and
Biostatistics Program. He is an associate editor for
the American Journal of Epidemiology and regular
reviewer for more than a dozen scientific journals.
He has authored or co-authored more than 330
peer-reviewed manuscripts.
Associate Director for Administration & Finance
Jeffrey Foster, MPH
Mr. Foster has worked with the UAB UTC since
its inception. In addition to his key UTC role and
responsibilities, he is an experienced investigator
and is rapidly becoming a highly effective scientific
administrator. He serves, also, as the Associate
Director of the UAB Southern Consortium for Injury
Biomechanics. Mr. Foster earned his MPH in
Epidemiology from the University of Alabama at
Birmingham in 2005. His experience includes transportation
research in both heavy and light vehicles,
laboratory and field- data collection and testing as
well as research project participant recruitment.
Associate Director for Research
& Scientific Oversight Emeritus
Jay Goldman, DSc, PE
Dr. Goldman has been closely associated with the
UAB UTC in a leadership role since its inception.
He has authored or co-authored 75 technical
publications, presented some 100 technical presentations
and contributed to numerous monographs
and textbooks during his career. Owing to his comprehensive
knowledge and extensive experience in
the field of engineering and biomechanics, he has
been a consultant to 35 local and national organizations
as well as to the United States government.
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Despina Stavrinos, PhD
Dr. Despina Stavrinos obtained a doctorate
in Lifespan Developmental Psychology in
May 2009 from the University of Alabama
at Birmingham and is currently a Postdoctoral
Fellow at the UAB University Transportation
Center (UAB UTC). Her work on
distracted pedestrians, which was featured
in Pediatrics in 2009, also earned her the
Society of Pediatric Psychology and CDC
Injury Prevention Student Research Award.
Education & Outreach Advisor
Kathleen Bolland, PhD
Dr. Bolland serves as the Education and
Outreach Advisor to the UAB UTC. In addition
to UTC duties, Dr. Bolland is the Assistant
Dean for Educational Programs and
Student Services in the School of Social
Work at The University of Alabama. As a
professional staff member in the Evaluation
and Assessment Laboratory in the College
of Education at The University of Alabama,
Dr. Bolland designed and conducted
evaluations for 15 years before joining the
UA faculty in the School of Social Work.
Program Administrator
Crystal Franklin, MPH
Ms. Franklin, a former UTC student intern,
joined the staff full-time this past year. She
provides support to the UTC Leadership in
a variety of Center-related activities including
grant writing, administrative duties,
webinar planning and research assistance.
She works closely with Dr. Stavrinos, on a
day-to-day basis, functioning as a skilled
research associate, which she has become
since joining the UTC group.
research consultant
Andrea Underhill, PhD
Dr. Underhill has worked with the UAB
UTC since its inception. She has authored
or co-authored two book chapters, 10
manuascripts and 24 presentations. She has
served as an ad hoc reviewer for numerous
scientific journals.
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uab utc annual report 2009-2010

The Advisory Board
The UAB UTC’s Advisory Board
plays a key role in helping guide
UTC activities, formulating
research concepts, identifying
emerging research and education
needs, and in selecting research
projects.
The Advisory Board is made up
of leaders from throughout the
State and Nation representing a
number of high-profile entities
and organizations whose varying
missions contribute positively to
the goals and objectives of the
UAB UTC.
Current Members:
(Front row - seated L to R): Dr. Ray Mundy, Mr. Walter Kulyk, Dr. Virginia Sisiopiku, Dr. Sharif Melouk, Dr. Kathleen Bolland.
(Second row - seated L to R): Mr. Joe Petrolino, Mr. Bill Foisy, Mr. Mark Bartlett, Mr. Russell Griffin, Mr. Jeff Foster.
(Standing L to R): Dr. Russ Fine, Dr. Fouad Fouad, Mr. Andrew Sullivan, Mr. John Campbell, Mr. Jamey Durham, Mr. Peter Behrman,
Mr. Michael Andrews, Dr. Despina Stavrinos, Dr. Gerald McGwin, Mrs. Joy Fleisher, Dr. Richard Gonzalez, Dr. Jay Goldman.
Joe Acker, EMT-P, MPH (ex officio)
Executive Director
Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services
System
D. Michael Andrews, JD
Attorney
Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, PC
Mark Bartlett, PE
Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration
Peter Behrman
Executive Director
Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority
David Brown, PhD
Deputy Director, Center for Advanced Public Safety
The University of Alabama
John Campbell, MD
EMS Medical Director
Alabama Department of Public Health
Glenn Cummings, MBA/HCM, RN
Coordinator, Trauma Services
University of South Alabama
Jamey Durham, MBA
Director, Injury Prevention Branch
Alabama Department of Public Health
Frank K. Filgo, CAE
President & CEO
Alabama Trucking Association
Bill Foisy
Director, Transportation Planning
Regional Planning Commission
of Greater Birmingham
Fouad Fouad, PhD
Professor and Chairman
Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Richard Gonzalez, MD
Professor, Department of Surgery
University of South Alabama
Michael Howell-Moroney, PhD
Director, Master of Public Administration Program
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Robert Kimberly, MD
Senior Associate Dean for Research, UASOM
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Walter Kulyk, PE
Director, Office of Mobility Innovation
Federal Transit Administration
David Meaney, PhD
Associate Director, Penn Center for Brain Injury & Repair
Professor of Bioengineering
University of Pennsylvania
Ray A. Mundy, PhD
– UAB UTC Advisory Board Chairman
Director, Center for Transportation Studies
Barriger Endowed Professor of Transportation & Logistics
University of Missouri, St. Louis
Joseph A. Petrolino, MS
Vice President, Heavy Vehicle R&D
National Transportation Research Center, Inc
Director, University Transportation Center
Loring Rue, MD
Senior Associate Dean for Clinic Affairs, UASOM
Chief, Section of Trauma, Burns & Surgical Critical Care
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Virginia Sisiopiku, PhD
Associate Professor
Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Ordrell Smith
Director
Jefferson County Youth Transportation Program
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dan Turner, PhD, PE
Emeritus Professor of Engineering
The University of Alabama
Don Vaughn, PE
Deputy Director & Chief Engineer
Alabama Department of Transportation
James Walker, MPA
Director
Homeland Security – Alabama
Henry Wang, MD, MPH, MS
Associate Professor & Vice Chairman for Research
Department of Emergency Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Save the DATE
May 18th, 2011
UAB UTC
Annual Advisory
Board Meeting
Double Tree Hotel
Birmingham, AL
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE & PRINCIPAL CENTER STAFF 11

developing tomorrows transportation professionals
Education
UAB UTC Recognized
Ozge Cavusoglu as
2009-2010 Student of the Year
UAB UTC leadership named Ms. Ozge Cavusoglu, MS,
MSCE, as the UAB UTC 2009-2010 Student of the Year.
Ms. Cavusoglu received a $1,000 award along with a trip
to Washington, D.C., in early January, 2010 where she
participated in the recent CUTC Awards Banquet honoring
Students of the Year from UTCs across the country.
Ms. Cavusoglu is a doctoral student in UAB’s Department
of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. In
addition to the Master of Science in Civil Engineering and
a Certificate in Transportation Safety and Injury Control
Engineering (see story pg. 13) she earned at UAB, Ms.
Cavusoglu also holds a Bachelor of Science in Urban
and Regional Planning from Mimar Sinan University
(Istanbul, Turkey) and a Master of Science in Urban and
Regional Planning/Transportation Planning from Gebze
Institute of Technology (Kocaeli, Turkey). Ms. Cavusoglu
works at the UAB Transportation Laboratory in the
School of Engineering and is involved in one of the UAB
UTC’s major research projects, Dynamic Traffic Assignment
and Simulation Model for Incident and Emergency
Management Applications in the Birmingham Region
(DDTAS).
Ms. Cavusoglu has established a strong record as an
investigator and scholar as a graduate student. Since
coming to UAB, she has completed major research projects
funded by the University Transportation Center for
Alabama (UTCA) and has participated actively in other
projects, funded by the Alabama Department of Transportation
(ALDOT) and by the Regional Planning Commission
of Greater Birmingham. Ms. Cavusoglu’s research
interests mirror and complement the theme and goals of
the UAB UTC, and her ability to pursue those research
efforts, whether working independently or collaboratively,
demonstrate her commitment to a transportation-related
career.
Currently, Ms. Cavusoglu’s Ph.D. dissertation research,
funded through the UAB UTC, is examining how traffic
behaves under emergency conditions (ranging from traffic
incidents to large scale natural disasters). Her research
methodology includes the development of a comprehensive
model of the Birmingham region to be used as
a training and evaluation test bed. The comprehensive
Ms. Ozge Cavusoglu,
Dr. Virginia Sisiopiku
(Ms. Cavusoglu’s mentor), and
Dr. Russ Fine founding director
and principal investigator of the
UAB UTC at the January, 2010
CUTC Awards Banquet in
Washington, DC.
model being developed will allow examination of the
impact of major incidents and emergencies and modeling
of strategies that demonstrate the potential to minimize
the impact of emergencies on traffic operations
and the safety of the traveling public. This is a highly
visible project that is expected to lead to numerous
publications and technical presentations within the next
two years. Ms. Cavusoglu’s contribution to the development,
refinement, and testing of the model is critical to
the success of the overall research effort.
Ms. Cavusoglu’s contribution to the transportation field
goes beyond academics. Her upbeat, energetic personality
has had a positive impact on the entire UAB Transportation
Laboratory. She has motivated fellow graduate
students in the transportation engineering program to
become more involved in professional activities and to
work as a team. Her efforts have resulted in a greater
awareness of the diversity of transportation-related
careers and of the UAB UTC. Ms. Cavusoglu devotes
an enormous amount of her personal time assisting
classmates with field work assignments and with the
organization and activities of the student chapter of
the Institute of Transportation Engineering (ITE). Her
enthusiasm and ability to mentor students, both in the
lab and in extra-curricular activities, have increased student
interest in transportation-related careers, increased
student involvement with the DDTAS project, exposed
more students to the UAB UTC and increased student
participation in UAB UTC activities
12
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

First Student Earns Certificate in
Transportation Safety & Injury
Control Engineering
On Dec. 12, 2009, Ms. Ozge Cavusoglu became the first
student from the UAB School of Engineering to earn a
Certificate in Transportation Safety and Injury Control
Engineering. Ms. Cavusoglu, a doctoral student in the
UAB Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental
Engineering, is also the 2009-2010 UAB UTC Student
of the Year.
Last year, the UAB UTC and the UAB School of
Engineering’s Department of Civil, Construction &
Environmental Engineering established the Certificate in
Transportation Safety and Injury Control Engineering.
The Certificate program consists of one required course
for three semester hours, and an additional four courses,
for 12 semester hours, of transportation and transportation-safety
electives.
Ozge Cavusoglu
The program – a marriage between engineering, public
health and the emerging discipline of injury control – is
enabling engineering students and other transportation
professionals to acquire advanced training and experience
in the public health and injury control aspects
of transportation research. Specifically, the certificate
program is enabling students, practicing transportation
professionals and other professionals with an interest
in transportation-related issues (such as urban planners,
transit administrative personnel or emergency preparedness
administrators) to focus on transportation safetyrelated
issues, while learning to use the latest tools and
technology available.
For more information on this Certificate, please visit
www.uab.edu/utc/certification .
“UAB UTC helps students realize
the importance of safety and injury
control in transportation engineering.”
education 13

UAB UTC Partners with Mountain-Plains Consortium
for Expanded Educational Opportunities
The UAB UTC and the Mountain-Plains Consortium
(MPC), under the direction of Dr. Denver Tolliver and
headquartered at North Dakota State University (NDSU),
are linking to expand the educational opportunities offered
by both Centers. The two UTCs are finalizing plans
that will enable practicing transportation professionals
and, in some cases, transportation students in the Alabama
area to participate in two distance learning transportation
certification programs provided through this cutting
edge NDSU program. Soon, Alabama area transportation
professionals will be able to pursue and earn a Certificate
in Transportation and Urban Systems.
This Certificate can be pursued via online courses and
is targeted at practicing professionals who are unable to
participate in traditional coursework. A second option that
will be available is the Transportation Leadership Graduate
Certificate which is a nationwide program sponsored
by the Regional University Transportation Centers.
This Certificate is a distance learning opportunity introducing
participants to the skills needed to be a leader
in the transportation field. The UAB UTC leadership is
grateful for the opportunity to establish this important
linkage with the MPC and looks forward to being able to
offer these valuable learning experiences and certification
opportunities to its core, Alabama audience with the
guidance and assistance of Dr. Denver Tolliver, Director,
Mountain-Plains Consortium, Director, Transportation
& Logistics Programs, Assistant Director, Upper
Great Plains Transportation Institute North Dakota State
University and Ms. Jody Bohn, Assistant to the Director
for Mountain-Plains Consortium and Transportation and
Logistic Programs, Upper Great Plains Transportation
Institute North Dakota State University.
Dr. Denver Tolliver
Director, Mountain-Plains Consortium
Director, Transportation & Logistics Programs
Assistant Director, Upper Great Plains
Transportation Institute
North Dakota State University
Ms. Jody Bohn
Assistant to the Director for Mountain-Plains
Consortium and Transportation
& Logistic Programs
Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
North Dakota State University
14
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

In the United States, motor
vehicle–related injuries are
the leading cause of death for
individuals up to the age of 34
Transportation Plays Key Role in SOPH Injury Course
Each Spring semester, the UAB UTC and the UAB Injury
Control Research Center (ICRC) sponsor and conduct
a formal, graduate course through the UAB School of
Public Health (SOPH). This elective, EPI 603: Injury
– Epidemiologic Principles and Prevention Strategies,
presents state-of-the-science information and data
about the causes of injury and the best-practices control
measures used to prevent injury or death resulting from
them. Since motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause
of injury and death in the US for persons under the age
of 45, there has always been a transportation emphasis in
the course. This past year, however, the course has taken
on an even stronger transportation focus. This shift reflects
the growing importance of transportation research
at UAB, made possible by the establishment of the UAB
UTC.
Examples of lectures focusing primarily on transportation
include:
• An Epidemiologic Overview of the Injury Phenomenon in the
United States with Special Emphasis on The Leading Cause of
Unintentional Morbidity and Mortality: Motor Vehicle Crashes
[two consecutive introductory lectures spanning three hours by Dr. Russ Fine,
Professor of Medicine and Director of the UAB University Transportation
Center; the Southern Consortium for Injury Biomechanics; and, The UAB
Injury Control Research Center]
• Causes and Prevention of Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVCs):
Class Discussion and Debate [by Dr. John Waterbor, Associate Professor
of Epidemiology, UAB UTC and UAB ICRC Senior Scientist]
• Causes and Prevention of MVCs Among Elderly Drivers [by Dr.
Cynthia Owsley, Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of the Clinical Research
Unit in the Department of Ophthalmology, Co-Director of the Center
for Research on Applied Gerontology]
• Studies of Distracted Drivers [by Dr. Despina Stavrinos, Director of
the Translational Research for Injury Prevention Laboratory, UAB UTC Post-
Doctoral Fellow]
• Public Policy Interventions and Motor Vehicles Fatalities
[Dr. Michael Morrisey, Professor of Health Care Organization and Policy,
Director of the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy]
Dr. Stavrinos’ lecture, Studies of Distracted Drivers, is
new this year, reflecting the increased awareness of the
enormously increased risk associated with distracted
driving.
(NHTSA)
EPI 603 is offered primarily to graduate students from
the UAB School of Public Health, but students are also
attracted from the School of Medicine, the School of
Engineering, the School of Nursing and other disciplines
across campus. The injury course has always been immensely
popular with students, due to its unique subject
matter and novel class style. Also, it is the core course
component required for completion of the Certificate in
Transportation Safety and Injury Control Engineering in
the UAB School of Engineering.
Injury epidemiology is a rapidly growing, subspecialty of
epidemiology. Many students are exposed to injury epidemiology
for the first time by this class. An increasingly
large number subsequently realize they have enormous
interest in the topic. This course and the interest it has
sparked in a large number of students have resulted in
many student internships with the UAB UTC or the UAB
ICRC. To ensure that the course presents the most upto-date
information, the course masters – Dr. Russ Fine,
UAB UTC Director, and Dr. John Waterbor – have taken
an innovate approach to teaching. Instead of having one
individual present all the course information, Drs. Fine
and Waterbor engage content area experts in the specific
area of injury being covered that day to lead the class and
present the topic-specific lecture. This teaching method
allows the students to be exposed to the most up-to-date
information from those actually working in the area being
discussed.
For additional information on EPI 603: Injury – Epidemiologic
Principles and Prevention Strategies and a copy
of the most recent syllabus, please contact Dr. Russ Fine
(rfine@uab.edu).
Images;
A.) Dr. Laura Dreer, a School of Medicine faculty member who
registered for and took Epi 603 to further her understanding of
injuries as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
B.) Students: Beau Hagler and Priya Chandan
C.) Student: Pamela Iyinagoro, MPH Student
D.) Dr. Laura Dreer, UAB faculty member and EPI 603 student, Dr.
Richard Sattin, guest lecturer and injury expert, and Dr. John
Waterbor, course co-master.
A.) B.) C.) D.)
education 15

UAB UTC Affiliated TRIP Laboratory ® Offers Unique Opportunities
for Students in Non-Traditional Transportation Disciplines
“Students working in the lab have diverse career goals
ranging from transportation science to medicine; however,
the common bond is their desire to enhance their
research skill set and this goal is accomplished through
opportunities to be involved in all stages of the research
process – from protocol and driving simulator scenario
development to data collection, coding and entry.”
Stavrinos says. Once data collection nears completion,
students are given opportunities for presenting preliminary
findings at scientific conferences – an activity
Stavrinos says will be vital for the students’ academic
development.
TRIP Lab ® Staff (from left), LaKeshia Hyndman, Ashley Gentry, Sharon Welburn,
Dr. Despina Stavrinos, Jonathan Feng, Khushboo Jhala, Annie Garner, and
Gauri Singh. Not pictured: Nishita Baxi, Lindsay Harrison and Michael Schwartz.
What is the best way for students to learn how to design
and conduct a research project? In a classroom with a
book? We think not. Rather, our experience has shown
that the best way to learn how to design and carry out a
research project is to actually do one.
Unfortunately, students often have limited opportunities
to fully participate in the research process because of the
demands of their classes and, sometimes, their extramural
employment. However, students working under the
leadership of Dr. Despina Stavrinos director of UAB’s
Translational Research for Injury Prevention (TRIP)
Laboratory ® are getting a unique opportunity not only to
participate in all stages of the research process but also to
earn psychology course credit while doing so.
The TRIP Laboratory ® , which is headquartered in the
UAB UTC, is committed to helping science acquire a
better understanding of the psychological aspects of injury
and translating those find-ings to the practice of injury
prevention and control. In line with the UAB UTC
mission, the TRIP Laboratory ® is attempting to help the
nation achieve a significant reduction in the rate of
injuries and their resulting deaths and disabilities,
especially in the southeastern United States.
Since its establishment in June 2009, over a dozen
graduate and undergraduate students have been a part of
the TRIP Laboratory ® . Under the supervision of
Dr. Stavrinos, students assist with the UAB UTC-funded
project Distracted Driving in Teens With and Without
ADHD, co-sponsored by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,
as well as with the UTCA-funded project Impact
of Distracted Driving on Traffic Congestion. Dr. Stavrinos
is Principal Investigator of both projects.
This unique learning experience is made possible, in
part, by UAB’s Department of Psychology, which allows
students to earn psychology course credits for their work
with actual research projects. This arrangement provides
students with an excellent opportunity for experiential
learning because time for participating in research opportunities
is not in competition with time for taking
traditional classes since the two activities are combined.
Working with the Distracted Driving research project,
students not only learn about the research process, but
also about how psychology contributes to the transportation
field. Their experiences in the TRIP Laboratory are
an excellent preparation as they plan their future studies
in a transportation context.
Recently, the growth and success of the TRIP Lab ® have
allowed for the establishment of two new permanent
student positions. This summer, Ms. Jennifer Jones became
the TRIP Lab’s ® first intern and Ms. Annie Artiga
Garner became its first Graduate Research Assistant. It is
of more than casual interest that neither Jenny nor Annie
set out to work in a transportation-related field. However,
through exposure to the activities of the UAB UTC, they
both became aware of the enormous professional opportunities
offered by the field.
“I had not fully appreciated the importance of the
relationship between psychology and the process of
driving until joining the TRIP Lab and working with
Dr. Stavrinos,” says Annie Garner, TRIP Laboratory
Graduate Research Assistant.
For more information about
the TRIP Laboratory ® , visit
www.triplaboratory.com.
16
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

“Together, the UAB UTC and the TRIP Lab ® are shaping
the lives of future transportation professionals”
Jennifer Jones -
TRIP Lab ® Summer Intern
This summer, Ms.
Jennifer Jones joined
the TRIP lab staff as
its first intern. Jenny, a
native of Marietta, GA,
obtained a bachelors
degree in biology from
the University of Georgia
in 2008 and worked
as a research assistant,
specializing in avian influenza
detection, at Georgia Tech Research Institute
in Atlanta, GA after graduation. Jenny is a second
year student in UAB’s School of Public Health where
she is pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) in
Epidemiology. Also, she is employed as a data
analyst in UAB’s Bone Marrow Transplant Center. As
the TRIP Lab Intern, Jenny developed informational
materials for study participants. The brochures stress
the importance of refraining from distracted driving by
illustrating facts regarding the number of injuries each
year that are attributed to distracted driving. Jenny,
whose previous work has not been transportationrelated,
realized her passion for the field during the
UAB UTC-sponsored Injury course taught in the UAB
School of Public Health (See p. X for more information
on the Injury Course). This internship helped her
fulfill the requirements for her MPH. After completing
her summer internship, Jenny decided to continue her
work at the TRIP Lab as a research assistant for the
fall semester.
Annie Artiga Garner -
TRIP Lab ® Graduate Assistant
In August, Annie
Artiga Garner, a former
TRIP lab research assistant,
assumed a new
role in the UAB UTC
/ TRIP Lab ® group as
a graduate research
assistant. In her new
role, Annie will retain her
current research assistant
responsibilities, such as
participant recruitment and database management,
and add to that list by taking on an increased supervisory
role in the Lab as well as additional administrative
responsibilities for the UAB UTC. In addition
to these new responsibilities, Annie’s graduate assistantship
will allow her to design and manage her
dissertation project, thereby fulfilling the requirements
for her PhD in Psychology. Her UTC-driven dissertation
research will focus on transportation-related issues
in adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD). Annie’s previous work had focused
solely on ADHD, but since starting work in the TRIP
Lab, she has become quite interested in risky driving
tendencies and behaviors among teens with ADHD.
education 17

UAB UTC Welcomes Second
Minority Enrichment Transportation Intern
Dominique Foster, UAB UTC Minority Enrichment Student Intern
“The UAB UTC Internship really opened my eyes
to how my career interests are relevant to the
field of transportation. While I never might have
even considered such a link before this summer,
now, I am actually thinking about how I can
bring my interests to the field and have a satisfying,
well-paid career.”
Two years ago, the UAB UTC partnered with the
Jefferson County Youth Transportation Program (JCYTP),
a campus-based minority enrichment effort managed by
UAB’s Office of Equity and Diversity and underwritten,
in large part, by the Alabama Department of Transportation
(ALDOT) through the good offices of ALDOT Director,
Mr. Joe McInnes. At the recommendation of JCYTP
leadership, Mr. Dominique Foster, a 2010 graduate of
Bessemer City High School in Bessemer, AL, was selected
for the two-month internship. Dominique enrolled
as a freshman at Tuskegee University in mid-August.
The Minority Transportation Internship is unique among
internships. Instead of the intern working for the UAB
UTC, the UAB UTC works for the intern. Based on the
student’s interests, UTC leadership secures engagement
opportunities within various summer workshops and
schedules appointments for the intern to meet with practicing
professionals from a wide variety of transportationrelated
disciplines. The UAB UTC minority enrichment
internship provides hands-on experience as well as a
glimpse of what professionals in transportation-related
fields actually do.
Dominique, who is currently planning to study economics
and actuarial science, had a full schedule of workshops,
short courses and one-on-one meetings. He met with a
variety of UAB faculty and staff working in a wide range
A.)
of academic disciplines including Medicine, Engineering,
Biostatistics, Business, Public Health, Accounting and
Hospital Administration. Dominique talked statistics with
Mr. Russell Griffin and Dr. George Howard and Economics/Finance
with Dr. George Munchus, Dr. David Klock,
Dr. Bor-Yi Tsay, Dr. Stephen Mennemeyer and Dr. Deborah
Grimes. He learned about the field Engineering from Mr.
Andrew Sullivan, Dr. Alan Shih, Dr. Alan Eberhardt and Dr.
Fouad Fouad. He even had the opportunity to learn about
behavioral neurobiology from Mr. David White and about
Public Health from Dr. John Waterbor. Outside of UAB,
Dominique met with Birmingham-Jefferson County Regional
Transportation Authority Executive Director Mr. Peter
Behrman and Transportation Manager Mr. Soloman Wilson.
The highlight of Dominique’s internship was his participation
in the prestigious National Science Foundation sponsored
Visualization Workshop offered through the UAB
School of Engineering and directed by Dr. Alan Shih. This
two week long workshop provided Dominique with an overview
of computer graphics and scientific visualization. He
learned about engineering simulation software and applied
what he learned to acquire hands-on visualization experience
using 3D imaging and various forms of field manipulation.
The UAB UTC Minority Enrichment Transportation Internship
is proving to be an invaluable resource for students by
providing them with a glimpse of real-world transportationrelated
career choices. This internship opportunity represents
another example of how the UTC has leveraged local,
state and federal programs in our effort to help contribute to
the transportation work force of the future.
IMAGES:
A.) Dr. Russ Fine, Mr. Dominique Foster, Dr. Alan Shih
B.) Mr. Dominique Foster presenting a Power Point driven synopsis of
his experience as a participant in the NSF-sponsored Aladdin summer
camp ”Visualization Camp - 1” to an audience of fellow students,
parents, family members and faculty judges.
C.) Visualization Camp 1 Participants
D.) Mr. Joe McInnes, Director, Alabama Department of Transportation
E.) Dr. Louis Dale, UAB Vice President for Equity and Diversity
B.) C.) D.) E.)
18
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

UAB UTC’s First
Minority Enrichment Transportation Intern – One Year Later
“The UAB UTC Internship
really helped me
focus my career interests
and better prepared me
for the choices I’d have
to make during freshman
year as well as
long thereafter. What a
wonderful experience
my time in the UAB UTC
turned out to be.”
Nichele Cantrell
Just over a year ago, Ms. Nichele Cantrell became the
UAB UTC’s first Minority Enrichment Transportation
Intern. She had just graduated from Ramsay High School
in Birmingham and planned to enter Indiana University
– Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in the Fall.
Instead of taking the summer off to relax and spend time
with her friends, Nichele wanted to get a head start on her
college plans.
Showing much more forethought than many people years
her senior, Nichele decided she didn’t want to select an
academic major based solely on a description in a college
catalog. She wanted to find out what people with various
degrees actually did all day. That’s where the UAB UTC
came in.
Based on the recommendation of Mr. Ordrell Smith,
Executive Director of the Jefferson County Youth
Transportation Program (JCYTP), the UAB UTC invited
Nichele to become its first Minority Enrichment Transportation
Intern and help her explore the transportationrelated
opportunities in various career fields, particularly
engineering/biomedical engineering. (See 2008-2009
UAB UTC Annual Report for more details.)
Nichele made the most of the experiences the UAB UTC
Internship afforded her. This past summer (2010) she
participated in a research internship at Indiana
University and is working towards admission to IU-PUI’s
prestigious MD/PhD program. Nichele was first exposed
to the existence of MD/PhD programs through her internship
with the UAB UTC. She met at length with UAB
faculty who held those degrees and met the leadership of
UAB’s MD/PhD program. Those introductions and meetings
proved to be time well spent. The encouragement she
received through those mentorship meetings and through
the UAB UTC Internship Program further encouraged
Nichele to set her goals high and work hard to achieve
those goals.
The UAB UTC is enormously proud of Nichele’s accomplishments
and we hope you will join us in wishing her
well in her future endeavors. Nichele may be contacted at
nichelecan@gmail.com.
Dr. Sisiopiku Awarded Excellence in Mentorship Award
Dr. Virginia Sisiopiku was one of 22 UAB professors recently honored with the 2010
Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentorship during a ceremony on April 12,
2010. Dr. Sisiopiku is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Construction,
and Environmental Engineering at UAB.
This award recognizes faculty who have been outstanding mentors, advisors, and role
models to the students and trainees with whom they have worked. These faculty honorees
have demonstrated effective leadership, enthusiasm, an ability to make difficult
information and concepts understandable, the willingness to serve as a role model, and
a belief in the importance of mentoring.
Dr. Sisiopiku was also one of 13 faculty members honored with the President’s Award
for Excellence in Teaching in 2007. Dr. Sisiopiku is Principal Investigator of 3 projects
for the UAB UTC and the faculty advisor of the Institute of Transportation Engineers
(ITE) Student Chapter at UAB.
Dr. Bryan Noe,
Dean of the UAB
Graduate School, and
Dr. Virginia Sisiopiku
education 19

finding ways to make the transportation-network safer, simpler, and smarter
research
Domain 1: Emergency Medical Services and Congestion
Principal Investigator: Gerald McGwin, Jr., MS, PhD
(University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Co-Principal Investigators: Jeffrey R. Crandall, ME, PhD &
Matthew J. Trowbridge, MD, MPH (University of Virginia), and
Andrew Sullivan, PE, MSCE (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Co-Investigators: Philip R. Fine, PhD, MSPH &
Jay Goldman, DSc (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Traffic congestion, upon first consideration, would appear
to be a problem primarily of interest to those in the fields
of engineering and transportation. While it is true these
disciplines are principally responsible for characterizing and
mitigating traffic congestion, in the “real world” its impact
extends well beyond these fields. For example, traffic
congestion has important environmental and worker
productivity implications. Similarly, congestion-related pollution
has come to be associated with certain chronic medical
conditions. Moreover, of no small consequence is the reality
that traffic congestion may have an impact on acute health
problems resulting from delays in the provision of emergency
medical services (EMS). For example, ambulances are
not always able to avoid traffic congestion chokepoints.
It follows that when there are even short delays in the delivery
of care to a patient or delays in transporting a patient to
definitive care, such delays can have adverse implications on
outcomes. Thus, when viewed from a public health perspective
the relationship between congestion and EMS reveals
several important opportunities for multi-disciplinary,
translational research.
D1 - Project 1:
Urban Sprawl and Pre-hospital Emergency
Care Time (Project Completed)
The first of these opportunities focuses on the issue of
primary prevention; that is, opportunities to prevent
congestion-related EMS delays and thereby prevent adverse
patient outcomes associated with such delays. Research has
suggested that suburban areas have longer average EMS
response times than urban areas. However, the specific
relationship between urban sprawl and EMS response times
remains unclear. With the rapid growth of suburbs, shifts
towards a more elderly population, and the ongoing need for
improved emergency preparedness, there is an urgent need
for systematic evaluation of sprawl’s impact on EMS delivery
in the United States to identify opportunities for intervention.
Towards this end, one project of the study quantifies
the association between urban sprawl and EMS response
time in the United States using national EMS data linked to
a widely used county-level sprawl index. This information
may be useful to policy-makers considering land use
alternatives in rapidly growing areas of the country.
20
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

In 2008 there were an estimated
10,111,000 vehicles involved in
police-reported crashes,
94 % (9,538,000) of which were
passenger vehicles. (NHTSA)
D1 - Project 2:
Characterize EMS Providers’ Perspectives
and Experiences with Congestion
In addition to primary prevention, the issue of congestion
and EMS can also be viewed from a secondary prevention
perspective; that is, identifying early opportunities
for interventions to minimize congestion from impacting
patient outcomes. In contrast to primary prevention,
which in the present case would be focused on preventing
congestion-related delays, secondary prevention assumes
such delays will occur yet attempts to minimize their
impact. To accomplish this task, so as to fully understand
the impact of congestion on EMS, it is first necessary to
understand EMS providers experience with it. Thus, a
survey of EMS providers’ professional experience with
congestion in terms of education / training, knowledge
regarding role of congestion on patient outcomes,
congestion-related driving behaviors, congestion-related
decision making is being conducted. This will provide
valuable information on the actual role of congestion on
EMS provider behavior.
D1 - Project 3:
The Role of Within-Vehicle Technology
for Improving EMS Response Time
Another valuable secondary prevention initiative
addressed by the study seeks to minimize the impact of
congestion by evaluating a strategy to reduce the amount
of time occupants of motor vehicle collisions (MVCs)
must wait for the arrival of EMS. By providing EMS care
in a more timely and informed manner, the potential impact
of congestion may be mitigated. With respect to the
strategy of interest, automatic collision notification (ACN)
systems utilize collision sensors and wireless technology
to detect and transmit information regarding the occurrence
of a MVC. ACN systems represent a unique opportunity
to potentially extend the Golden Hour by reducing
the time between MVC occurrence and EMS arrival.
While debate exists regarding the association between
pre-hospital times and subsequent survival, more rapid
EMS arrival reduces time to definitive care and such care
has been shown to reduce mortality. This on-going study
evaluates whether the integration of OnStar ® technology
into pre-hospital care systems may yield of time savings
that (theoretically) improve patient outcomes. Evidence
to support the integration of ACN technology into EMS
/ transportation systems may speed the provision of care
and subsequent patient outcomes.
D1 - Project 4: Potential Improvements
in Medical Treatment and EMS through
Real-time Injury Assessment of
Occupants Involved in Crashes
(Post- Crash Injury Predication using Multi-body Modeling
and Advanced Region-Specific Regression Equations)
While secondary prevention is interested in the early
detection of public health problems, tertiary prevention
focuses on reducing longer term impacts. With respect
to congestion and EMS, research suggests that rapid
transport times matter for moderate- and high-risk patients.
Thus, pre-transport information regarding injury
severity may serve to help tailor pre-hospital / hospital
care resources which may result in a more informed EMS
response thereby improving patient outcomes. To address
this need, the fourth project of the study is building upon
upon existing post-crash injury assessment techniques by
using AACN-related occupant, collision, and vehicle information
coupled with advanced regression analysis and
multi-body modeling to estimate the regional and overall
injury likelihood for MVC victims. The results of this
research can be used to aid EMS personnel in the making
the following decisions regarding the identification of:
the most appropriate EMS unit(s) required to respond to
specific MVC events (basic versus advanced life support);
the most appropriate mode of transportation (e.g., ground
versus air ambulance); the most appropriate medical facility
(closest hospital or regional trauma center); and the
most appropriate group of specialized medical/surgical
professionals (neurosurgeons, orthopedists, etc.) needed.
The final component of this effort will be to translate the
findings of the research tasks into practical congestion
mitigation techniques for emergency responders, dispatchers,
traffic managers, and planners. It is expected the
research program will reveal opportunities to address the
congestion problem from several different perspectives.
The end product of this task will be a set of techniques
to address congestion along with practical guidelines for
implementation coupled with cost projections and costbenefit
specification.
This multidisciplinary, public-health approach will yield
valuable information that can be subsequently used to
address the congestion problem on multiple fronts.
research 21

Domain 2:
Development of a Dynamic Traffic Assignment and Simulation Model for
Incident and Emergency Management Applications in the Birmingham Region
Principal Investigators: Virginia Sisiopiku, PhD &
Andrew Sullivan, PE, MSCE (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Co-Investigators: Fouad H. Fouad, PhD &
Wilbur Hitchcock, PhD (University of Alabama at Birmingham), Burcu
B. Keskin, PhD, Sharif H. Melouk, PhD & Daniel Turner, PhD
(University of Alabama), Kyriacos Mouskos, PhD (City University of New
York), Athanasios Ziliaskopoulos, PhD (University of Thessaly),
Curtis Barret & Tom Vick (Vista Transportation Group)
Collaborators: Saiyid Hassan Sikder, PhD (University of Alabama
at Birmingham), David Brown, PhD (University of Alabama),
Michael Anderson, PhD (University of Alabama at Huntsville),
Neville Parker, PhD (City University of New York)
Traffic incidents and natural or man-made disasters can
impose significant safety risks and disruptions on traffic
flows. Moreover, congestion resulting from such occurrences
may impede the ability of EMS to provide timely
response to those in need of medical attention. There is a
need to understand how traffic will be impacted in a large
metro area in such an event for three reasons:
• to manage the traffic so that it does not impede emergency
operations,
• to manage the evacuation of populations under threat
and divert pass-through traffic out of harm’s way, and
• to manage the flow of first responders to the site of
the incident.
In general, the research community has not studied the
interactions among these three (3) flows generated almost
instantly after a major disaster. Traffic engineers seem
to understand fairly well how traffic flow behaves under
normal conditions (usually User Equilibrium behavior
is assumed). Enforcement and emergency management
operators can route and coordinate first responders to a
emergency site but although they recognize that the
typical background traffic could impede with the emergency
vehicles, they are not in a position to manage this
traffic except when drastic measures (such as closures
of access roads) are taken by law enforcement. When,
in addition to the above, there is also a sizeable area or
high density corporate, educational or government campus
that needs to be evacuated, then this flow generates
highly complex interactions with the previous two flows
that has not been adequately addressed in the literature
or practice.
A need has been recognized for models that can capture
the fast evolving dynamic conditions taking into consideration
the realities of the above mentioned three (3)
flows, in addition to the management measures (street
closures, traffic signal control alterations, informational
messages) and infrastructure failures. Needless to say
that a catastrophe is an extraordinary event and the drivers
confronted with it are not expected to behave in the
User Equilibrium and System Optimum behavior (as
commonly accepted in transportation planning), which
makes existing models not directly applicable. Finally,
the impact of a major emergency may impact very large
parts of the network, which requires the availability
of models that can function on large scale regional
networks yet maintain reasonable computational time.
Currently, no tools exist in the market that can model
dynamically large network traffic operations under
emergency conditions.
We are performing a research program consisting of
five (5) separate but interrelated projects to address
various aspects of incident and emergency management
research and training needs.
22
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

D2 - Project 1:
Capacity Building,
Education and Technology Transfer.
This project focuses on the development and delivery of a
comprehensive research, education, and training plan aiming
at advancing the knowledge and practice in incident
and emergency management
D2 - Project 2:
Development, Calibration and Testing
of the Birmingham Prototype Model.
This project is charged with the development, calibration,
and refinement of the Birmingham test bed and is a
precondition for the successful execution of the following
three research projects as described in Projects 3 through 5
D2 - Project 3:
Development and Testing of a Decision
Support Tool for Optimization of
EMS Response Time.
This project is utilizing an integrated simulation-optimization
technique to enhance emergency vehicle response
and transport time
D2 - Project 4:
Evaluation of Incident and Emergency
Management Options in the
Birmingham Region.
This project is developing a framework that integrates
physical infrastructure, transportation demand, and crash
data and tests incident and emergency management scenarios
and response actions.
D2 - Project 5:
The Role of Transit in Safe Evacuation
of the Elderly and Disabled in Emergencies
and Disasters.
This project is studying issues related to the evacuation
of individuals without personal vehicles and models the
transit evacuation scenarios during small and large-scale
evacuations.
research 23

Drivers who use hand-held
devices are four times as
likely to get into crashes serious
enough to injure themselves.
Domain 3: Small-Scale Research Projects
(Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
Distracted Driving in Teens With and
Without ADHD
Principal Investigator: Despina Stavrinos, PhD
(University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the leading cause
of death for teenagers, accounting for approximately 1
in 3 deaths for this age group. With advancing technology,
the number of distractions to which drivers are
exposed continues to increase and such distractions
may especially increase the risk and severity of motorvehicle
related injury for teens because of their lack of
experience. The purpose of the present study was to
examine what effect two common forms of distractions
(cell phone & text messaging) might have on increased
motor-vehicle injury risk in teens with and without
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined
Type (ADHD-C) - a group that has been identified as at
particular risk for injury. A final report on this project
will be available October 2010.
Assessment of Global Positioning System
Utilization in Emergency Medical Services
Principal Investigators: Glenn Cummings, MBA/HCM, RN &
Richard Gonzalez, MD (University of South Alabama)
One of the reasons mortality is higher for rural vehicular
trauma victims than for urban victims is the longer time
required to get a rural trauma victim into a definitive care
facility. Use of Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation
has been shown to reduce this time, but use of this technology
by Emergency Medical Service (EMS) agencies is not universally
employed. While the greatest emphasis of utilizing
GPS technology in the EMS environment should be placed
on improving patient outcomes by reducing total pre hospital
time, additional benefits for EMS agencies may be seen in
the form of reduced expenditures from improved routing of
ambulances. The purpose of the study was to assess the economic
impact on EMS agencies through implementing GPS
technology. EMS agencies may see a return on their capital
investments in GPS systems from reductions of mileage,
maintenance, and fuel expenditures. More information
on this study can be found on page 30 and a Final report on
this project will be available October 2010.
24
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Urban Sprawl Associated with Increased Emergency Response Times
Principal Investigator: Matthew Trowbridge, MD, MPH
Urban sprawl is an increasingly common development
pattern in the US, characterized by low-density construction,
poor street connectivity, and single-use zoning.
Urban planning and public health research show that
urban sprawl increases trip distances and traffic density
for personal automobile travel, which decrease travel
efficiency.
Through a recently completed UAB UTC sponsored
research project, Urban Sprawl and Pre-hospital Emergency
Care Time, Matthew Trowbridge, MD, MPH, and
his team measured the relationship between county-level
urban sprawl and EMS response times in the US. Through
careful analysis of his data, Dr. Trowbridge demonstrated
how urban sprawl is associated with increased EMS
response time and a higher probability of delayed EMS
arrival following motor vehicle crashes. In fact, as he
showed, the probability of delayed EMS arrival is nearly
twice as high in counties with prominent features of
sprawl compared to counties with less urban sprawl.
This research project’s confirmation of sprawl’s association
with increased EMS response times calls for more
intense consideration of land use and its potential impact
on emergency care. The slower development of medical
infrastructure in sprawling suburban areas distances these
communities from major trauma and tertiary care centers.
Moreover, less expensive home prices in sprawling urban
areas tend to attract lower income populations, including
the elderly, who often have limited access to transportation.
Data have confirmed that both demographic groups
are at higher risk for emergency medical issues and the
need for EMS services. EMS service is increased per capita
in the same sprawling areas where it is more difficult
and expensive to provide.
Working to reconfigure street networks in existing
suburban areas to reduce their sprawling characteristics
will take time. In the interim, it is reasonable to consider
reorganizing pre-hospital and hospital resources to better
compensate for the impact of urban sprawl on emergency
response. The results of this research, combined with
information from other related UAB UTC-sponsored
research projects, are being used to develop land use and
public safety recommendations. It is expected that these
recommendations will help change the way communities
are planned and the way hospital and other health care
resources are allocated.
The UAB UTC is working to help achieve livable, sustainable,
and healthy communities through projects like
Urban Sprawl and Pre-hospital Emergency Care Time
and other complementary research efforts. For more
information on the UAB UTC’s research portfolio, visit
www.uab.edu/utc.
research 25

Automatic Crash Notification
Can Increase Chances of Survival
Principal Investigator: Gerald McGwin, Jr., PhD, MS
Automatic collision notification (ACN) systems offer an
opportunity to enhance trauma care and patient survival,
particularly in the pre-hospital setting. These systems
use collision sensors and wireless technology to detect
and transmit information about the occurrence of a motor
vehicle crash (MVC). Moreover, they are being more
commonly acknowledged for their potential contribution
towards preventing MVC-related injury and death.
Currently, ACN are not integrated with emergency medical
services (EMS). Instead, the data they acquire is sent
directly to the ACN service providers (such as OnStar ® )
who, in turn, may contact the EMS in the geographic area
where the MVC occurred. This method, though not direct,
may still be quicker than the traditional 911 call. Prompt
notification means that ACN systems have the potential of
measurably reducing the time from MVC to EMS arrival.
This reduction in time may be especially important in rural
areas where MVCs may go unobserved and undetected
for protracted periods.
The UAB UTC study, The Role of Within-Vehicle Technology
for Improving EMS Response Time, quantified the
potential time reductions in crash notification associated
with ACN systems versus 911 calls based upon real-world
ACN collisions. Data for this study were obtained from
vehicles equipped with OnStar ® that were involved in a
MVC from 2005-2009 in the seven-county region in
Alabama covered by the Birmingham Regional Emergency
Medical Services System (BREMSS). Dr. Gerald
McGwin and his team of researchers determined that,
on average, BREMSS received the ACN message 60
seconds after the crash occurred but received the 911
call associated with the same crash nearly two minutes
later (or, three minutes after the crash).
The less than two minute time savings afforded by
ACN may not sound like much, but other research has
suggested that the risk of death increases 5% for every
minute that passes between injury occurrence and arrival
to the hospital. Extrapolated to this study’s results,
utilization of an ACN system could decrease mortality
risk by 7.5%. ACN can possibly increase changes of
MVC survival by decreasing the time between injury
occurrence and EMS notification.
Further research on ACN systems and their performance
over the long term is needed but these initial results are
very encouraging. The benefits of comprehensive ACN
system coupled with an accurate in-car injury modeling
capabilities are a primary research focus of the UAB
UTC and our research partners. For more on the work
of the UAB UTC in modeling injuries via ACN systems
please see page40.
Complete results of this study will be available on the
UAB UTC website this Fall www.uab.edu/utc.
26
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Traffic Congestion Increases EMS Response Time
Principal Investigator: Gerald McGwin, Jr., PhD, MS
In a medical emergency, the more quickly someone can
be transported to an appropriate medical facility, the more
likely that person is to have a positive medical outcome.
Given this relationship, it is important to determine the
impact of traffic congestion on patient outcomes. However,
translating such research into strategies to overcome
the impact of congestion requires input from those faced
with the problem on a daily basis. Gaining insight from
emergency medical service (EMS) providers, specifically
ambulance drivers, regarding their perceptions provides a
key understanding of the importance of the traffic congestion
issue and the techniques needed to overcome it.
The UAB UTC sponsored project, Characterization of
EMS Providers’ Perspectives and Experiences with
Congestion, assessed the impact of roadway design and
traffic congestion on emergency response based on the
opinions and experiences of the emergency responders.
A survey was designed and distributed to EMS providers
to determine a variety of factors associated with traffic
congestion’s impact on emergency response time ranging
from the accuracy of the information provided by their
dispatchers, to cooperation of Department of Transportation
(DOT) with emergency services regarding road
design, to the impact of in-vehicle technology.
The EMS providers indicated traffic congestion adds, on
average, 2-3 minutes to the time it takes them to arrive
to a scene and 5-6 minutes to the time it takes them to
get from the scene to the medical facility. In total, traffic
congestion adds almost 10 minutes to the time it takes the
EMS providers to get the individual in need of medical
care to the appropriate facility. These 10 minutes could
be critical in certain situations.
Despite this significant time delay, only about 28% of
EMS providers reported being given traffic information
by dispatchers, but almost 41% have had to call for another
unit to respond because of traffic congestion. Most
(88%) EMS providers do not use the traffic web cams
provided by the Alabama Department of Transportation
(ALDOT).
EMS providers do believe that electronic signs warning
motorists of traffic problems and high-occupancy vehicle
lanes beneficially impact response time. Additionally, they
thought that the use of pre-emptive green devices and
Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) systems (such as
OnStar ® ) beneficially impact response time. The pre-emptive
green device ensures traffic lights are green enabling
EMS vehicles to travel unimpeded while the ACN system
can send vital motor vehicle crash information to the
dispatch station immediately after a crash. Unfortunately,
only 14% of EMS providers have pre-emptive green
devices available to them and ACN information is not
widely available.
As previously posited by UAB UTC scientists, any time
savings achieved during that initial hour is critical to
patient survival This survey illustrated that EMS personnel
are not only familiar with but are supportive of readily
available tools that can be used to reduce travel time to
and from a crash site. Final results of this survey as well
as the project’s final report will be available this Fall on
the UAB UTC website. www.uab.edu/utc
research 27

Traffic Congestion Not a Priority for Emergency Dispatchers
Principal Investigator: Andrew Sullivan, PE, MSCE
Traffic congestion is a primary concern during major
incident and evacuation scenarios. It is commonly recognized
that traffic congestion often creates difficulties for
emergency vehicles attempting to enter and exit congested
areas. Many dispatchers who are responsible for directing
the movement of emergency response units have not
been trained to react to the near gridlock-like congestion
that can result in areas that normally suffer from regular
congestion; nor, have they been given tools that would
enable them to consider traffic congestion as a variable in
the overall dispatching process.
However, before such training or tools can be developed,
it is necessary to determine whether emergency dispatchers
(1) believe traffic congestion impacts response times
and if so, how does this belief or impression compare with
the actual experiences of emergency responders in the
field; (2) consider traffic conditions when selecting a unit
to dispatch; and (3) receive training enabling them to deal
successfully with congested traffic conditions. Additionally,
it is important to find out what tools the dispatchers
think would be most useful to enhance their current
dispatch process. Under the direction of Andrew Sullivan,
PE, emergency services dispatchers were surveyed to
acquire some insight into these, and other, questions.
Provisional Results: According to the survey, all dispatchers
responding received some type of training to prepare them
for their positions, but less than 20% received training on
ways to cope with traffic congestion. Approximately half
of all dispatchers believed that congestion “sometimes”
impacts emergency response time, but only 40% of
urban dispatchers and 22% of rural dispatchers believed
congestion to be a significant problem. Only 38% of
dispatchers consider traffic conditions during dispatch
and only 1 emergency response agency receives real-time
traffic information. Many of the dispatchers indicated
that real-time data were either not available or were too
expensive to access.
dents indicated that real-time traffic information was important.
The most frequent suggestions included improved
caller location information, installation of automatic
vehicle location technology to track emergency units and
a unified/improved 911 dispatch network.
Among responding dispatchers, congestion is viewed as
a problem, but not as a priority. As observed, it appears
dispatchers have few tools available that are capable of
helping them deal, effectively and efficiently with traffic
congestion. As a result, most respondents indicated viewing
mitigation of response time as something out of their
control. Thus, if congestion is going to be addressed by
emergency dispatchers, the need/benefit must be clearly
demonstrated, tools and outreach will be necessary; and,
the cost must be reasonable.
The results from this survey and the EMS Providers
survey are being further analyzed by UAB UTC personnel
with the hope that information gleaned from these
survey responses can play a future role into education and
training programs for EMS dispatchers and providers. For
work on a dynamic traffic model to be effective, all parties
involved must understand the demonstrated benefits
of taking congestion into consideration when dispatching
emergency units. The UAB UTC is committed to working
with interested groups to solve this problem and when
possible by providing the tools, training and outreach
necessary to do this.
Full results of the survey are available online
(www.uab.edu/utc).
When asked for recommendations that would help them
improve their dispatching abilities, only 10% of respon-
28
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

First Wave of UAB UTC
Distracted Driving Research Complete
The UAB UTC’s first, distracted driving research project,
Distracted Driving in Teens With and Without ADHD-C,
has been successfully completed. Under the direction of
Dr. Despina Stavrinos, her UTC research team acquired
access to and use of a state-of-the-art driving simulator
existing in the laboratory of Dr. Karlene Ball, Professor
and Chair, UAB Department of Psychology.
The purpose of Dr. Stavrinos’ research was to compare
the driving performance of teens with a medical diagnosis
of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with
a control group of teen drivers not suffering from ADHD
in a variety of distraction conditions. Dr. Stavrinos’ work
also compared short-term changes in simulated driving
behavior of teens after a six-week computerized cognitive
training program. Distracted Driving in Teens With and
Without ADHD has significantly increased the understanding
of the extent to which technology is distracting for
teen drivers, and it facilitated an objective evaluation of
the usefulness of a cognitive intervention as a means to
develop safer driving behaviors among teens with ADHD.
The project’s preliminary results are intriguing. Most of
the study’s participants had been driving for less than two
years and reported being behind the wheel at least 5 days
per week. At fault motor vehicle crashes were reported by
nearly 20% of the participants. None admitted to cell phone
use at the time of the crash. The participants with ADHD
had more traffic tickets than the group without ADHD.
Many teens stated they talked on the phone and engaged
in texting while driving about 3 days per week. Interestingly,
one-third of the participants said they did not talk
on the phone while driving and nearly half reported that
they never text while driving. Of those teens who reported
talking on the phone and texting while driving,
approximately 20% reported doing so every day.
Many teens reported that they modify their driving behavior
when engaging in distracted driving. Over half of the
participants reported that they put the caller on speaker
phone, adjust their driving speed (faster or slower), and
search for the phone without taking their eyes off the road.
Student texting while driving in the state-of-the-art driving simulator
Another form of driving modification while driving distracted
that teens reported was using only one hand to steer
the wheel; a behavior reported by over half of participants.
Nearly 50% of the teens reported pulling over and stopping
to engage in distracting activities.
The research team is considering the provisional conclusion
that parents of teens may not be setting a good example for
their young drivers. For example, approximately 50% of
parents admitted to talking on the phone while driving at
least 5 days each week. Interestingly, about one-third of
the parents of teens with ADHD reported engaging in the
most dangerous form of distracted driving, texting, which
occurred more frequently than parents of non-ADHD teens.
The present study suggests that most teens frequently
engage in dangerous distracted driving behaviors, including
talking on a cell phone and texting while driving. The study
is among the first to investigate the potential influence of
parental distracted driving on the driving behaviors of their
teens. These preliminary results suggest that parents may
be a significant source of influence on their teens’ distracted
driving behavior. Thus, interventions aimed at reducing
distracted driving behaviors in teens might also consider
including a component targeting parental distracted driving;
particularly for teens with ADHD.
While engaging in distracted driving was more common
than not in teens in this study, it is promising that nearly a
third of teens did not engage in any form of distracted
driving. Future studies should investigate what factors
might influence some teens from refraining in distracted
driving. This knowledge could be applied to interventions
targeted at those who frequently engage in distracted driving.
A final report will be available at the end of September on
the UAB UTC website www.uab.edu/utc.
research 29

ichard gonzalez, md
Mr. Glenn Cummings,
MBA/HCM, RN
UAB UTC Funded Research Shows GPS Technology
Improves EMS Operational Costs
The more quickly the victim of a motor vehicle
crash or other emergency can be transported to
an appropriate medical facility, the more likely
that person is to survive. The use of global
positioning system (GPS) technology has been
shown to reduce emergency medical service
(EMS) response time and distance to the scene
of an emergency (this statement seems to
demand a reference). Nonetheless, our research
as well as that of others indicates that comparatively
few EMS providers use GPS technology
in their ambulances, often citing the prohibitive
cost of the GPS unit.
Under the direction of Mr. Glenn Cummings
and Dr. Richard Gonzalez of the University of
South Alabama, the UAB UTC research project,
Enhancement of Global Positioning System
Utilization in Emergency Medical Services,
determined the average cost per mile to operate
EMS vehicles and calculated a break-even
point for the purchase of a GPS navigation unit.
Using an online survey, the investigators queried
Alabama EMS providers about a variety of
factors including the number of miles driven by
their ambulances, their maintenance and operating
costs and the number of emergency calls received.
Based on this information and the average
time and distance saved by using GPS technology,
Mr. Cummings and Dr. Gonzalez determined the
cost savings the provider would experience by using
GPS technology and converted that savings to
the time needed to pay off each GPS unit. Actual
financial savings varies depending on the number
of emergency calls to which the service responds.
For a service responding to an average of 3 calls
per day, utilization of GPS units could save approximately
$1600 per year. At about $500 per
GPS unit, this EMS provider could pay for 3 GPS
units with its savings in 1 year. An EMS provider
responding to 8 calls per day could save over
$5,000 per year – or the cost equivalent of 10
GPS units – by adopting GPS technology.
This UAB UTC-driven study shows that GPS
technology could significantly improve ambulance
service operational costs. Further prospective
investigation is needed to evaluate the
operational effectiveness of GPS technology in
the provision of emergency care by EMS providers.
The full results of this study will be available
via a final report on the UAB UTC website by the
end of September (www.uab.edu/utc).
30
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Products, Technologies,
and Research Results
UAB UTC has Positive Impact on
Traffic Safety and Injury Control
Although UAB is quite new, being among the
most recent universities to become part of the 60
centers comprising RITA’s national UTC network;
and, despite the fact UAB is among those with the
smallest amount of funding, our efforts are already
having a positive impact on
traffic safety and injury control.
A number of important
and illuminating findings resulting
from research projects
being conducted in both of our
major research domains are
described in detail elsewhere
in this document. However, the
UAB UTC’s contributions to
traffic safety and injury control
have not been limited to
findings growing out of those
research projects.
Specifically, it is a source of
significant pride that meaningful
regulatory contributions
have already resulted from
data analysis and subsequent educational / translational
efforts following the Alabama Distracted
Driving Summit. By adopting ordinances to ban
texting while driving within their local police
jurisdictions (after the Alabama Legislature failed
to pass state-wide legislation), nine municipalities
– including Alabama’s largest, second largest and
fourth largest cities – Birmingham, Montgomery
and Huntsville – benefitted from the important
role the UAB UTC played in
bringing attention to the magnitude
of the distracted driving
problem and by providing irrefutable
data enabling proponents
to “prove their case.”
In addition, Mobile, Alabama,
the State’s third largest city
anticipates becoming the tenth
municipality to pass a similar
ordinance by mid-October of
this year.
Other Alabama municipalities
banning texting while
driving include Adamsville,
Lipscomb, Midfield, Springville
and Vestavia Hills. The
City of Trussville, in Jefferson
County, went even further by not only banning texting
but by including reading or applying makeup,
all of which have been proven to be distracting to
vehicle operators.
Products, Technologies, and Research Results 31

ensuring availability of uab utc research results to potential users
Technology Transfer Program
Research in Progress Seminars,
Webinars and a State-wide Summit
This past year, the UAB UTC conducted and co-sponsored
seven transportation-related Research In Progress Webinars
in conjunction with the UAB Injury Control Research Center
(ICRC), the University Transportation Center for Alabama
(UTCA) and the Southern Consortium for Injury Biomechanics
(SCIB). These webinars provide a forum for research
scientists and allied professionals to describe their activities,
progress, problems, provisional interpretation of data as well
as provisional findings and conclusions. Of equal, if not
greater, importance is the fact that the forums provide opportunities
for the investigators making the presentations to
acquire feedback, guidance and advice from those in attendance
– whether in person or via the internet. Such persons
typically include faculty, staff, students and other interested
parties who are informed of the seminars via email, fliers,
online announcements posted on the UTC’s Web site and
Twitter postings. The transportation-related Research in
Progress Seminars / Webinars held, thus far in 2009-2010
include:
Pedestrian Safety Initiative
o Captain Duane Cox and Tonya Webb, Program Coordinator II, UAB
Police Department
Alabama Distracted Driving Summit
o Secretary Ray LaHood, United States Department of Transportation,
Washington D.C.
o Dr. Rich Hanowski, Director, Center for Truck and Bus Safety, Virginia
Tech Transportation Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia
o Dr. John Lee, Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
o Dr. Despina Stavrinos, Post-Doctoral Fellow, UAB UTC, Birmingham,
Alabama
o Dr. Melvin Davis, Executive Director, Mississippi Urban Research
Center, Jackson, Mississippi
o Ms. Dee Fine, Founder and Executive Director, Alabamians Against
Distracted Driving; and, former National Vice-President, MADD,
Birmingham, Alabama
o Ms. Ginny MacDonald, Journalist and Assistant Features Editor, The
Birmingham News, Birmingham, Alabama
o Mr. Clay Ingram, Public Relations and Marketing Manager, AAA
Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
o Mr. Fred Gray, Jr., Partner, Gray, Langford, Sapp, McGowan, Gray
& Nathanson, Tuskegee, Alabama
o Mr. Gene Vonderau, Director of Safety and Member Services, Alabama
Trucking Association, Montgomery, Alabama
o Dr. Bill King, Divisional Director, Southeast Child Safety Institute, The
Children’s Hospital of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
o Col. J. Christopher Murphy, former Director, Alabama Department of
Public Safety, Montgomery, Alabama
o Mr. Terry Henderson, State Coordinator, Alabama Office of Highway
Safety, Alabama Department of Economic and Community
Affairs, Montgomery, Alabama
o Senator JT “Jabo” Waggoner, Alabama Senator, Birmingham, Alabama
o Representative Jim McClendon, Alabama Representative, Springville,
Alabama
32
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Secretary Ray LaHood,
United States Secretary of
Transportation
Dr. Rich Hanowski,
Director, Center for Truck and
Bus Safety, Virginia Tech
Transportation Institute
From left: Sgt. Brian Fields, Dr. Russ Fine,
Ms. Tonya Webb and Captain Duane Cox
Mr. Fred Gray, Jr.,
Partner, Gray, Langford, Sapp,
McGowan, Gray & Nathanson
Alabama Distracted Driving Summit (continued)
o Dr. Daniel Turner, Professor, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa,
Alabama
o Dr. Russ Fine, Director, UAB UTC, Birmingham, Alabama
o Dr. Jay Lindly, Director, University Transportation Center for Alabama,
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
o Dr. Robert Rich, former Senior Vice President for Medicine, UAB, Dean,
UAB School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
Dr. Despina Stavrinos,
Post-Doctoral Fellow, UAB UTC
Parental Influences on Driving Behavior
o Ms. Annie Garner, doctoral graduate student, UAB Department of
Psychology
Transit Practices for Evacuation Preparedness
and Response for Vulnerable Populations
o Ozge Cavusoglu, doctoral graduate student, UAB School of Engineering
UTC Advisory Board Meeting:
Scientific Research-Related Presentations
o Dr. Virginia Sisiopiku, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, UAB
o Mr. Andrew Sullivan, Instructor, School of Engineering, UAB
o Dr. Sharif Melouk, Assistant Professor, School of Engineering, The University
of Alabama
o Dr. Despina Stavrinos , Post-Doctoral Fellow, UAB UTC
o Dr. Richard Gonzalez, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University
of South Alabama
o Dr. Gerald McGwin, Professor, School of Public Health, UAB
Crash Prediction on Rural Roads
o Cheng Zhong, doctoral graduate student, UAB School of Engineering
Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit
Authority Peer Review Summary
o Peter Behrman, Executive Director, Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit
Authority (BJCTA)
Mr. Gene Vonderau,
Director of Safety and Member
Services, Alabama Trucking
Association
Peter Behrman
Executive Director,
Birmingham-Jefferson
County Transit Authority (BJCTA )
Technology Transfer Program 33

2009 – 2010 Publications and Presentations
UTC-affiliated researchers have produced a number of peer-reviewed publications
and have presented research results at local, regional, national and international
venues. These include but are not limited to:
Cell phone use is rampant among all ages.
Specifically, two out of three drivers aged
18-34 reported using a cell phone while
driving, but 53% of drivers aged 45-54 also
admitted using a cell phone while driving.
AAA Foundation 2008 Traffic Safety Culture Index
Publications
Bose D, Crandall J, Griffin R, McGwin G, Foster J, Goldman J, Fine R,
O’Connor R. Predicted Effect of an Automatic Injury Notification System
on Reducing Traffic Fatalities. Italian J Pub Health 2010. In Press.
Sisiopiku VP, Cavusoglu O, Sikder S. High occupancy vehicle lane
performance assessment through operational, environmental impacts and
cost-benefit analyses. EAIA 2010. In Press.
Aekbote K, Zhao L, Maltarich M, Cheng J, Chou CC, Yang KH. A door
sub-system sled test methodology for simulation of occupant responses
in FMVSS 214 side impact oblique pole test. Int J Vehicle Safety 2009;
4:230–256.
Aekbote K, Chou CC, Cheng J, Yang KH, Cavanaugh JM, Rouhana
SW, Belwafa J. Development of transfer functions between ES-2re and
SID-IIs dummies using rigid wall sled tests. INFATS 2009; Paper #
AAI3369657:7:303-310.
Aekbote1, K.; Cheng, J.; Zhao, L.; Chou, C.C.; Yang, K.H. and Maltarich,
M. Development of sub-system sled test methodologies for evaluation of
side impact countermeasures. INFATS 2009; 7:314-323.
Chen HB, Yang KH, Wang ZG. Biomechanics of whiplash injury. Chin J
Traumatol 2009; 12:305-314.
Chou CC, Wagner C, Yang KH, King AI. A review of tripped rollover test
methodologies. Int J Vehicle Safety 2009; 4:185–229.
Guan F, Belwadi A, Han X, Yang KH. Application of optimization methodology
on vehicular crash reconstruction. ASME IMECE 2009.
Hu J, Chou C, Yang K, King A. Occupant injury mechanism in rollover
crashes - diving or roof crush. SAE 2010 World Congress and Expo.
2010.
Hyatt E, Griffin R, Rue LW 3rd, McGwin G Jr. The association between
price of regular-grade gasoline and injury and mortality rates among
occupants involved in motorcycle- and automobile-related motor vehicle
collisions. Accid Anal Prev 2009; 41:1075-9.
Kimpara H, Lee JB, Yang KH, King AI. Effects of body weight, height, and
ribcage area moment of inertia on blunt chest impact response. J Traffic Inj
Prev 2010; 11:207-214.
Segui-Gomez M, Lopez-Valdes F J, Crandall J. Characterizing the distribution
of injury and injury severity for belted front-seat occupants involved in
frontal crashes. Annual Intl Res Council on the Biomechan Inj Conf, York,
UK. 2009; 155.
Sisiopiku VP, Germin F. Analysis of impacts from temporary left- and rightshoulder
lane use as an active traffic management strategy. Huntsville
Simulation Conference 2009.
Sisiopiku VP, Acharya A, Anderson M, Turner D. Evaluation of traffic signal
performance under oversaturated conditions using VISTA. Trans Simulation
Symp 2009; 165.
Sisiopiku VP, Cavusoglu O, Fadel G. Active traffic management opportunities
and challenges for implementation. 2009 ITE Technical Conference
and Exhibit Compendium of Technical Papers, Phoenix, AZ.
Sisiopiku VP, Chemmannur J, Brown J. Conversion of one- to two-way
streets in birmingham downtown: A feasibility study. SimAUD 2010.
Stavrinos D, Byington KW, Schwebel DC. The effect of cellphone distraction
on pediatric pedestrian injury risk. Pediatrics 2009; 123: e179-185.
Trowbridge MJ, Gurka MJ, O’Connor R. Urban sprawl and delayed ambulance
arrival in the United States. Amer J Prev Med 2009; 37:428-32.
Trowbridge MJ, Kent R. Rear seat motor vehicle travel: Using national data
to define a population at-risk. Amer J Prev Med 2009; 37:321-323.
Turner D, Wolshon B, Dixit V, Evans W, Sisiopiku VP, Islam S, Anderson
M, Teklewold M. Transportation-oriented communications with vulnerable
populations during major emergencies: Current challenges and best
practices. J Transportation Res Board. 2010.
Wood JM, McGwin G, Elgin J, Vaphiades MS, Braswell RA, Decarlo D,
Kline LB, Meek C, Searcey K, Owsley C. On-road driving performance by
persons with hemianopia and quadrantanopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.
2009; 50: 577-85.
Zhang L, Franklyn M, Yang KH. Head injury prediction: Accident
reconstruction of real-world crash cases. WACBE World Congress on
Bioengineering 2009; 330.
McGwin G, Nunn AM, Mann JC, Griffin R, Davis GG, MacLennan PA,
Kerby JD, Acker JE, Rue LW. Reassessment of the tri-modal mortality distribution
in the presence of a regional trauma system. J Trauma 2009; 18:
184-186.
Schwebel DC, McClure LA. Using virtual reality to train children in safe
street-crossing skills. Inj Prev 16:e1-e5.
Schwebel DC, Pitts D, Stavrinos D. The Influence of carrying a backpack
on college student pedestrian safety. Accid Anal Prev 2009; 41: 352-356.
Schwebel DC, Stavrinos D, Kongable EK. Attentional control, high intensity
pleasure, and risky pedestrian behavior in college students. Accid Anal
Prev. 2009; 41: 658-661.
Jennifer Jones and Dr. Despina Stavrinos at the School of Public
Health Intern Presentation Day, May 2010
34
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Presentations
Bose D, Crandall J, Trowbridge M, McGwin G, Foster J, Goldman J, Fine
R, O’Connor R. Multibody modeling method for predicting occupant injury
risk: a framework for automatic injury notification system. Presented for a
joint symposium titled “What is the best way to implement an Accident
Crash Notification System (ACNS) in Japan?” organized by the JAST
(Japanese Association for the surgery of Trauma), JSAE (Japan Society of
Automotive Engineers), JARI (Japan Automobile Research Institute), ITARDA
(Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis), and GIAJ (General
Insurance of Association of Japan), May 2010.
Cavusoglu O. Transit practices for evacuation preparedness and response
for vulnerable populations. Presented at UAB ICRC and UAB UTC Research
in Progress Seminar, Birmingham, AL. February 2010.
Cummings G. Center for the study of rural vehicular trauma. Presented
at the 2010 UAB UTC Annual Advisory Board Meeting, Birmingham, AL.
May 2010.
Garner A. Parental influences on driving behavior. Presented at the UAB
University Transportation Center, Birmingham, AL. February 2010.
Garner AG, Stavrinos D. Influence of parental distracted driving on teens
with and without ADHD. Poster presented at the 2010 Simpson Ramsey
Symposium, Civitan International Research Center, Birmingham, AL. First
Place Prize. April 2010.
Guan F, Belwadi A, Han X, Yang KH. Application of optimization methodology
on vehicular crash reconstruction. Presented at the ASME 2009
International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, IMECE2009,
Lake Buena Vista, Florida. November 2009.
JoTurner D, Wolshon B, Dixit V, Evans W, Sisiopiku VP, Islam S, Anderson
M, Teklewold M. Transportation-oriented communications with vulnerable
populations during major emergencies: Current challenges and best
practices. Presented at the Journal of the Transportation Research Board,
Transportation Research Record (TRR). January 2010.
King R, O’Neal EE, Schwebel DC. Safety of using hands-free headsets
while driving. Poster submitted for presentation at the annual meeting of the
American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA. August 2010.
Luck JF, Nightingale RW, Bass CD, Song Y, Kait J, Myers BS. Pediatric
PMHS neck Biomechanics. Presented at the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration Yearly Briefing. September 2009.
Mizzell J, Byington KW, Renfroe M, O’Neal E, Schwebel DC. Text-messaging
and driving: Epidemiological data and implications for prevention.
Poster accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for
Behavioral Medicine, Seattle, WA. April 2010.
O’Neal E, Schwebel DC, Davis T. College-aged drivers: Internet technology
on phones may pose new driving risks. Poster accepted for presentation
at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association,
Chattanooga, TN. March 2010.
Renfroe M, Stavrinos D, Mizzell J, de Jong D, Schwebel DC. Pedestrian
safety while listening to music. Poster accepted for presentation at the annual
meeting of the Society for Behavioral Medicine, Seattle, WA. April 2010.
Schwebel D. Teaching young children pedestrian safety skills in virtual
reality. Presented at the 2010 UAB UTC Annual Advisory Board Meeting,
Birmingham, AL. May 2010.
Sisiopiku V. Contra flow operations for hurricane evacuation: Lessons
learned from an Alabama case study. National Evacuation Conference,
New Orleans, LA. 2010.
Dr. Jeff Crandall (third presenter from the left) at the Joint Symposium
entitled “What is the Best Way to Implement an Accident Crash Notification
System (ACNS) in Japan?” (page 40)
Siegel JH, Belwadi A, Smith JA, Shah C, Yang KH. Analysis of the mechanism
of lateral impact aortic isthmus disruption in real-life motor vehicle
crashes using a computer-based finite element numeric model with simulation
of prevention strategies. Presented at the Eastern Association for the
Surgery of Trauma (EAST), 23rd Annual Scientific Assembly in Collaboration
with the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN), Phoenix, AZ. January 2010.
Sisiopiku V. A holistic approach to incident management. Presented at the
INFORMS 2010 Southern Regional Conference, Huntsville, AL. 2010.
Sisiopiku V. Emergency response and traffic congestion: Dispatchers’
perspectives. Presented at the National Evacuation Conference, New
Orleans, LA. 2010.
Sisiopiku V. Development of a dynamic traffic assignment and
simulation model for incident and emergency management applications in
the Birmingham region. Presented at the 2010 UAB UTC Annual Advisory
Board Meeting, Birmingham, AL. May 2010.
Sisiopiku V. Analysis of impacts from temporary left- and right- shoulder
lane use as an active traffic management strategy. Presented at the Huntsville
Simulation Conference, Huntsville, AL. 2009.
Sisiopiku V. Active traffic management opportunities and challenges for
implementation. Presented at the 2009 ITE Technical Conference and
Exhibit, Phoenix, AZ. 2009.
Stavrinos D. Distracted driving in teens. Presented at the 2010 UAB UTC
Annual Advisory Board Meeting, Birmingham, AL. May 2010.
Stavrinos D. Individual differences in perception of distracted driving ability
in teenage drivers. Poster presented at the 26th Annual UAB Department of
Medicine Trainee Symposium, Birmingham, AL. March 2010.
Stavrinos D. Definitions, data and research results. Panel moderator at the
Alabama Distracted Driving Summit, Birmingham, AL. December 2009.
Trowbridge MJ. Building healthier streets for healthier neighborhoods
(expert panelist, emergency response planning & built environment).
Presented at the Congress for New Urbanism Annual Conference. Atlanta,
GA. May 2010.
Trowbridge MJ, Gurka MJ, O’Connor RO. Emergency response and the
built environment: does urban sprawl delay ambulance arrival? Presented
at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting, Philadelphia,
PA. November 2009.
Turner D, Wolshon B, Dixit V, Evans W, Sisiopiku VP, Islam S, Anderson M.
Transportation-oriented communications with vulnerable populations during
major emergencies: Current challenges and best practices. Proceedings
of the 89th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Washington,
D.C. 2010.
Welburn SC, Garner AG, Schwartz M, Stavrinos D. Developing a selfreport
measure of distracted driving in young adults. Poster presented at the
2010 UAB Expo, Birmingham, AL. April 2010.
Technology Transfer Program 35

UTC sponsors BJCTA Executive Director Presentation
and Public Forum for UAB Community
The UAB UTC sponsored a presentation and public forum
featuring Mr. Peter Behrman, recently appointed Executive
Director of the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit
Authority (BJCTA) in mid-July. The purpose of this
important presentation was to update the UAB community
about the status of the public transportation system in
Birmingham and the remainder of Jefferson County, Alabama.
As the basis of his presentation, Mr. Behrman used
a comprehensive evaluation report prepared by a national
transit peer review group. The meeting was well-attended
and provided an opportunity for an audience comprised
mostly of persons who do not use the BJCTA system for
conveyance to increase their familiarity with the system
and the seemingly insurmountable problems it is facing.
Dr. Russ Fine (l),
Director, UAB UTC and
Mr. Peter Behrman (r),
Executive Director, BJCTA
Approximately 60
people attended
BJCTA Executive
Director Peter
Behrman’s UAB UTC
sponsored
presentation
UAB UTC Sponsored Research Featured at New Urban Congress
In May, Dr. Matthew Trowbridge presented the results
of his UAB UTC sponsored research project addressing
urban sprawl at the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU)
18’s New Urbanism: Rx for Healthy Places, in Atlanta,
GA. In addition to presenting his research findings, Dr.
Trowbridge was part of an expert panel focusing on
Building Safer Streets for Healthier Neigh-borhoods. The
annual CNU is a leading venue for new urbanist education,
collaboration, and networking. New Urbanism is an
urban design movement promoting walkable neighborhoods
that contain a range of housing and job types. Dr.
Trowbridge’s UAB UTC sponsored research illustrates
how Emergency Medical Services plays a vital role in
the development of livable, sustainable communities. By
way of background, Dr. Trowbridge is a board-certified
pediatrician and medical epidemiologist with joint appointments
in the Department of Emergency Medicine
(School of Medicine) and the School of Engineering at the
University of Virginia (UVA).
A video of Dr. Trowbridge discussing urban sprawl and
his UAB UTC sponsored research is available at
http://www.uab.edu/utc/Final.Reports.html .
36
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

TRIP ® Lab Students Present Research Findings
The UAB UTC and the Translational Research for Injury
Prevention (TRIP) ® Laboratory continually encourage
student researchers to present their research results in
any appropriate venue available to them. Presentations
provide the students with valuable public speaking experience,
help them acquire experience interacting with others
in their field while receiving one-on-one feedback about
their work.
In March, Annie Artiga Garner, the TRIP ® Lab research
assistant, won First Place for her poster presentation at
UAB’s Neurodevelopment/Simpson-Ramsey Symposium;
a scientific gathering on the UAB campus that brings
together researchers from throughout Central Alabama
to discuss recent progress in the field of brain development
and neuro-developmental disorders and to provide a
forum for those working in the field to interact with other
investigators. Annie’s poster, The Influence of Parental
Distracted Driving on Teens With and Without ADHD,
described results from Annie’s TRIP Lab research revealing
that parents influence their teens’ perceptions of their
ability and willingness to engage in distracted driving
and that refraining from engaging in the riskiest form of
distracted driving can have a protective effect even among
teens who are at increased risk for such behaviors, ADHD
teens. Annie’s research also suggests that interventions
aimed at reducing distracted driving behaviors in teens
might consider including an interventional component
targeting parental distracted driving.
Sharon Welburn at the UAB Expo
This past February, TRIP ® Laboratory group member Ms.
Sharon Welburn presented a research poster at the UAB
Expo; a campus-wide platform enabling UAB undergraduate
students to gain valuable presentation experience and
to network with peers, faculty and staff. Sharon’s poster,
Developing a Self-Report Measure of Distracted Driving
in Young Adults, presented the preliminary results of a
project on which she has been working for the past semester.
Her goal is to develop a questionnaire to obtain information
on distracted driving behavior in young adults.
Sharon’s research addresses a very significant problem
faced by distracted driving researchers. Naturalistic studies
of distracted driving via in-vehicle technology have
provided some insight into the magnitude of the distracted
driving problem, but this method of data collection is
time-consuming and can be very expensive. Sharon’s
questionnaire, once fine-tuned and validated, promises to
offer a convenient, inexpensive and comparatively quick
alternative to acquiring data on distracted driving habits.
Annie Artiga Garner at UAB’s Neurodevelopment/
Simpson-Ramsey Symposium
Both Sharon and Annie have proven to be highly
innovative thinkers who show great promise and potential
as future transportation workforce professionals. Their
research is already making a positive contribution to the
UAB UTC’s efforts to reduce distracted driving. Future
mentoring by the UAB UTC and their TRIP lab experiences
will only enhance their already creative and impressive
skills. Congratulations Sharon and Annie!
Technology Transfer Program 37

UAB UTC Hosts Fourth Annual Advisory Board Meeting
The UAB UTC hosted its fourth annual Advisory Board
Meeting on May 20, 2010 at the DoubleTree Hotel in
Birmingham, AL. In addition to the UTC Advisory Board
Members, attendees included representatives from the
academic sector, as well as numerous transportation professionals
who turned out to network, trade ideas, make
recommendations and learn more about the activities of
the UAB UTC.
After welcoming remarks by Dr. Robert Kimberly (UAB
School of Medicine’s Senior Associate Dean for Research)
and a call to order by Advisory Board Chairman
Dr. Ray Mundy, the Director of the UAB UTC, Dr. Russ
Fine, provided a comprehensive report on the Center’s
accomplishments and future plans. Following Dr. Fine’s
presentation, meeting participants were provided updates
on the progress of the UAB UTC’s research projects by
UTC investigators, Dr. Virginia Sisiopiku, Mr. Andrew
Sullivan, Dr. Sharif Melouk, Dr. Despina Stavrinos, Dr.
Richard Gonzalez, and Dr. Gerald McGwin. (For more
information on the UAB UTC’s research project see pages
20-30 or visit our website www.uab.edu/utc.)
During lunch, Advisory Board members were treated to
a special keynote address from Birmingham’s Mayor,
the Honorable William Bell. Mayor Bell discussed mass
transit as a tool for public health and emergency management,
not just as means for the disadvantaged to
travel from Point A to Point B. The Mayor emphasized
how important the work of the UAB UTC is for not
only Birmingham, but also for the entire Southeastern
United States. Mayor Bell underscored his appreciation
for the fact that improved congestion management will
lead to reduced EMS response times. He noted that the
UAB UTC’s work in this area could easily be used by
Birmingham city engineers to synchronize stop lights
and adjust road design and layout. The final session of
the day was dedicated to the Advisory Board’s discussion
of the UAB UTC’s future plans. This portion of the
meeting was led by UTC Advisory Board Chairman Dr.
Ray Mundy Director, Center for Transportation Studies,
and Barriger Endowed Professor of Transportation and
Logistics at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, and
Advisory Board Member Joe Petrolino, Vice President,
Heavy Vehicles, National Transportation Research Center
Incorporated and Center Director, University Transportation
Center, Knoxville, Tennessee. Much of the
discussion focused on future UTC funding as it relates
to the current uncertain status of the Federal Transportation
bill – presently pending in Congress and potential
areas for research. Members eagerly discussed the need
to continue to attempt to grow and nurture all aspects of
the research portfolio including the newly implemented
Distracted Driving initiatives, with specific recommendations
for Dr. Stavrinos to look into incorporating
other transportation modalities such as heavy trucks and
transit into her research.
White Papers were presented to the board members
during the meeting. The first focused on and highlighted
the capabilities of the UAB UTC to support and further
Sec. LaHood’s Distracted Driving priority. The second
described plans for The UAB Transportation Safety,
Trauma Care, and Injury Research Institute and sought
the Advisory Board’s conceptual support for establishment
of the Institute. As envisioned, the proposed Institute
will bring together a constellation of UAB research,
resources and programs in an organized, systematic
Birmingham Mayor William Bell and
UAB UTC Advisory Board Chairman
Dr. Ray Mundy
A.) Andrew Sullivan, PE B.) Birmingham C.) Dr. Virginia Sisiopiku,
Mayor William Bell Dr. Despina Stavrinos,
gives Keynote Address and Dr. Sharif Melouk
38
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

effort to address and resolve pressing transportation
safety and trauma research questions associated with
vehicular, air, water, and rail travel. The third White
Paper described the possible establishment of an entity
The National Center for Transportation and Healthcare
Delivery. This idea grew out of a recommendation
suggested to UAB UTC leadership in December 2008,
when Dr. Curt Tompkins, Director of RITA’s UTC
program, site visited the UAB UTC. Based on
Dr. Tompkins observations and assessment of the Center
and its unique potential he encouraged leadership to
consider attempting to expand the scope of its program
and capacity to that of a National UTC. In keeping with
this recommendation, UAB UTC leadership developed
a concept paper for that which is presently referred to as
the National Center for Transportation and Healthcare
Delivery. The mission of the proposed National Center
would be to examine and address the neglected intersection
between transportation and healthcare delivery
systems. Following presentation of the whitepapers,
Dr. Mundy and Mr. Petrolino recommended that all
Advisory Board members read them carefully and
provide UTC leadership with comments and critiques.
The fourth annual meeting of the UAB UTC Advisory
Board was well-received and described as “highly successful.”
It attracted and engaged a wide range of transportation
professionals from a variety of disciplines, all
equally committed to improving the transportation field
through research, open discussion, collaboration and
innovative problem-solving.
Save the DATE
May 18th, 2011
UAB UTC
Annual Advisory
Board Meeting
Double Tree Hotel
Birmingham, AL
Technology Transfer Program 39

UAB UTC Sponsored Scientist Helps Japanese Implement
Accident Crash Notification System
This past May, UAB UTC funded researcher,
Dr. Jeff Crandall, traveled to Toyko, Japan to present
research findings and recommendations at a Joint Symposium
entitled “What is the Best Way to Implement
an Accident Crash Notification System (ACNS) in Japan?”
Dr. Crandall’s presentation, Predicting Occupant
Injury Risk: A Framework for Automatic Injury Notification
Systems, described his UAB UTC sponsored
research project and results, Potential Improvements in
Medical Treatment and EMS through Real-time Injury
Assessment of Occupants Involved in
Crashes. Dr. Crandall’s presentation
was enthusiastically received
and spurred a productive
panel discussion among experts from
Japan, Europe, South Korea, the
United States and other countries.
Dr. Jeff Crandall
Nancy and Neal Wade Professor
of Engineering and Applied
Science, Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering
Professor & Director, Center for
Applied Biomechanics
University of Virginia
The Tokyo Joint Symposium was
organized by the Japanese Association
for the Surgery of Trauma, the Japan
Society of Automotive Engineers, the Japan Automobile
Research Institute, the Institute for Traffic Accident
Research and Data Analysis and the General Insurance
of Association of Japan.
Dr. Jeff Crandall at the Symposium (third presenter from the left)
40
UAB UTC Leaders Named to Birmingham’s
Blue Ribbon Transportation Advisory Panel
Birmingham’s Mayor, the Honorable William Bell, is
committed to providing safe, effective transportation
for residents and to enhancing Birmingham’s livability
through viable transportation solutions. To help him
obtain these goals, Mayor Bell has established the Blue
Ribbon Transportation Advisory Panel. This group is an
information gathering and advisory committee made up of
transit advocates, business leaders, financial experts and
now, significantly, representatives from the health care
delivery research community. The panel is charged with
providing the Mayor with best practices-related information,
research findings and offering recommendations for
possible ways to improve the various transportation modalities
about which Birmingham proper and the greater
Birmingham area must be concerned. The goal is for this
panel to offer realistic solutions to existing problems that
will lead to measurable reductions in travel times, improved
transit services leading
to increased transit usage, etc.,
in a manner that will maximize
Birmingham’s limited transportation
funds and resources.
(L to R) Mr. Jeffrey Foster,
Dr. Despina Stavrinos,
Mayor William Bell, and Dr. Russ
Fine.
uab utc annual report 2009-2010
In May of this year, UAB UTC leaders, Dr. Russ Fine,
Director and Mr. Jeff Foster, Associate Director were
honored to be invited to represent the UAB UTC as
members of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Transportation
Advisory Panel. Mayor Bell, recognizing transportation
as a public health issue and praising the UAB UTC’s past
and present work in that area The Mayor has charged
this panel with examining all aspects of the Birmingham
Transportation Network. The Blue Ribbon Commission is
to review findings from around the country to determine
best practices for the City on a wide variety of topics
such as evaluating the timing of lights to mitigate gridlock
to the use of transit vehicles in a mass evacuation or
mass arrival scenario (as with Katrina). The UAB UTC is
well equipped to provide such a service to the City.
“To be asked by Mayor William Bell to serve on this important
panel speaks volume about the work we are doing
here at the UAB UTC. Our Center is uniquely capable
to aid the panel in addressing many of the important
transportation-related challenges our City faces.”
– Russ Fine on behalf of himself, Jeff Foster and all those
affiliated with the UAB UTC.

UAB UTC Provides Distracted Driving
Technical Guidance for Alabamians
The UTC has provided technical assistance and guidance
to a citizen-driven, grass roots, anti-texting while driving
movement known as Alabamians Against Distracted
Driving. That group has partnered with the state’s largest
ABC Television affiliate, ABC 33/40, which broadcasts
throughout north and north-central Alabama in an effort to
spread its educational messages. In the Sunday, August 8,
2010 edition of The Birmingham News, a front page story
about distracted driving appeared. The UAB UTC’s lead
distracted driving researcher, Dr. Despina Stavrinos, was a
primary information source for the journalist responsible
for the story. Additionally, Mrs. Dee Fine, wife of UAB
UTC Director Dr. Russ Fine, who established Alabamians
Against Distracted Driving was also interviewed for the
article.
distracted driving include the critical technical advisory
role the UTC subsequently assumed after the previously
described field demonstration. The UAB UTC provided
the Birmingham Mayor and City Councilors with scientific
data about distracted driving. This resulted in the Birmingham
Alabama City Council passing, without opposition,
a new ordinance banning texting while driving for all
city workers as well as all other licensed drivers. A recent
front page news story appeared in the UAB campus newspaper
with a headline reading “UAB P.D. to enforce city’s
ban on texting.” The entire story may be viewed, online at
http://images.main.uab.edu/uabreporter/080910color.pdf .
Our distracted driving-related educational and community
service activities have provided much needed data and
direction to several municipalities throughout the Greater
Birmingham Region, as well as elsewhere in Alabama,
that have lead to the adoption of the local ordinances
banning texting while driving. Among these of which we
are most proud is the City of Birmingham, whose texting
ban includes the UAB Campus.
In addition, to increase awareness among elected
Birmingham officials, the UTC helped organize and
sponsor a distracted driving performance demonstration
in which Birmingham Mayor William Bell was a highprofile
participant.
Another, closely related, example of recent UAB UTC
driven initiatives that are resulting in significantly heightened
awareness of the hazards and risks associated with
Birmingham Mayor William Bell
navigating obstacles while distracted
Drivers engage in potentiallydistracting
secondary tasks
during more than half of the
time spent driving.
D
n’t text & Drive
Alabamians Against Distracted Driving
205.934.7845
Technology Transfer Program 41

Noteworthy activities from the past year that support national transportation priorities
Specific Accomplishments
Director’s Note :
When preparing the UAB UTC’s Annual Report, the Specific Accomplishments Section is always the most challenging.
As we formulate our list of items for inclusion and categorize them as Research, Education, Technology Transfer or
Specific Accomplishment, we tend to put many of the year’s undertakings in the Specific Accomplishments Section.
We are proud of the activities of the UAB UTC and strive for all our actions to strongly support state and national
transportation goals. However, we realize that not everything we do can go in the Specific Accomplishment Section.
With that in mind, we would like to begin this section with a disclaimer, of sorts. The items included herein are those
of which we are most proud or are otherwise close to our hearts. We hope that you, the reader, will not neglect the
other sections of our Annual Report, as you will find noteworthy accomplishments throughout the document.
Alabama Distracted Driving Summit Hosted by UAB UTC and UTCA
On Dec. 3, 2009, the UAB University Transportation
Center (www.uab.edu/utc) joined forces with the
University Transportation Center for Alabama
(http://utca.eng.ua.edu) to sponsor the Alabama
Distracted Driving Summit. This first (and to our
knowledge still the only) statewide summit on distracted
driving was conducted a mere 61 days after Secretary of
Transportation Ray LaHood’s Washington, D.C., summit.
The purpose of this one-day event was:
(1) to bring together researchers, educators, public policy
and decision makers, and private citizens from across
our state to describe the scope and nature of the
distracted driving problem;
(2) to identify meaningful ways to increase public
awareness of the safety issues associated with
distracted driving; and
(3) to identify and review legislative and regulatory
approaches/options for addressing distracted driving
in Alabama.
Modeled after the US Secretary of Transportation’s
National Distracted Driving Summit, the Alabama’s
summit brought together more than 300 transportation
leaders, elected officials, safety advocates, law enforcement
representatives and private sector representatives, as
well as transportation and public health scientists to
discuss how to reduce motor-vehicle crashes resulting
from distracted driving through legislation, enforcement,
public awareness and education.
The Alabama Summit was especially significant due to
the presence of Secretary LaHood, who in his keynote
address praised both Alabama UTCs for their initiative
and leadership in hosting the event: “The University of
Alabama at Birmingham’s Summit – the first of its kind
outside Washington – helps continue the national conversation
on distracted driving and will put more good
ideas on the table to prevent needless deaths. I hope other
states will follow its lead.” Traffic safety experts from
around the state and nation made concise presentations
and participated in interactive audience-panel discussions
throughout the day-long meeting. Key topics describing
the extent and impact of distracted driving, current research,
regulations and best practices were presented and
discussed. Additional information about the panelists and
their topics appears elsewhere in this newsletter.
We are gratified and honored that the UAB UTC/UTCAsponsored
Alabama Distracted Driving Summit served to
re-energize the somewhat scattered and poorly organized
statewide anti-distracted-driving activities that were previously
underway in various places throughout Alabama.
Because of the UAB UTC sponsored Summit, many
more people and private-sector entities, as well as other
government agencies, have become better informed about
the distracted driving problem and involved in efforts to
reduce if not eliminate this problem. Moreover, there is
no question the Summit measurably increased awareness
of the distracted driving efforts outlined by Alabama’s
Strategic Highway Safety Plan and executed by
(L to R)
Dr. Melvin Davis, Dr. Rich Hanowski, Dr. John Lee
42
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

“The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s
Summit – the first of its kind outside Washington
– helps continue the national conversation on
distracted driving and will put more good ideas
on the table to prevent needless deaths.
I hope other states will follow its lead.“
– Ray LaHood
Mr. Terry Henderson,
ADECA
Mr. Terry Henderson, the distracted
driving point man for the Alabama
Department of Economic and
Community Affairs (ADECA).
Because of Mr. Henderson’s
important role, he was a key
Alabama Summit panelist. Also,
the Strategic Highway Safety Plan
outlines a legislative approach for reducing distracted
driving that is chaired by Rep. David Grimes of
Montgomery.
Both Alabama UTCs are interested only in advancing
the common cause of eliminating distracted driving in
Alabama. Consistent with the UAB UTC’s intentions are
activities that are two-fold in intent: First, to be fully
supportive of efforts currently underway or in place; and
secondly, to offer ourselves as a unifier, perhaps the primary
unifier of the many and varied contributors and prospective
contributors to the anti-distracted-driving effort.
Because UTCs are forbidden, by law, to lobby on behalf
of any specific piece of legislation, we have assumed a
prominent (and allowable) role devoted to increasing
awareness about the hazards and risks of distracted driving
among policy and decision makers, as well as among
the general public. For example, because the Alabama
Distracted Driving Summit was so poorly attended by
the overwhelming majority of the Alabama Legislature
(only three members were present, in spite of all members
having received invitations), we provided each member of
the Alabama Legislature with individual DVD copies of
all presentations made and all panel discussions occurring
during the recent Alabama Distracted Driving Summit.
Also, we have embedded the recorded version of the
entire Alabama Distracted Driving Summit on the UAB
UTC Web site (www.uab.edu/utc).
images:
A.) More than 300 transportation leaders, elected officials, safety
advocates, law enforcement officers and private sector representatives
gathered for the Alabama Distracted Driving Summit
B.) Ms. Dee Fine and Alabama State Senator Rodger Smitherman
C.) (L to R) Senator Jabo Waggoner, Mr. Terry Henderson,
Col. J. Christopher Murphy, Dr. Bill King
D.) (L to R) Sec. Ray LaHood, Jeff Foster, Dr. Robert Rich, and
UAB President Dr. Carol Garrison
A.) B.) C.) D.)
Specific Accomplishments 43

Alabama Distracted Driving Summit Panels & Speakers
The Honorable Ray LaHood
Ray LaHood became the 16th Secretary
of Transportation on Jan. 23,
2009. In nominating him, President
Obama said, “Few understand our
infrastructure challenge better than
the outstanding public servant that
I’m asking to lead the Department of
Transportation.”
Secretary LaHood’s primary goals
in implementing President Obama’s
priorities for transportation include
safety across all modes, restoring
economic health and creating jobs,
sustainability – shaping the economy
of the coming decades by building
new transportation infrastructure – and
assuring that transportation policies focus
on people who use the transportation
system and their communities.
As Secretary of Transportation, LaHood leads an agency with more than 55,000 employees
and a $70 billion budget that oversees air, maritime and surface transportation
missions.
Secretary LaHood said he would bring President Obama’s priorities to the Department and
see them effectively implemented with a commitment to fairness across regional and party
lines and between people who come to the issues with different perspectives.
Before becoming Secretary of Transportation, LaHood served for 14 years in the U.S.
House of Representatives from the 18th District of Illinois (1995-2009). During that time, he
served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and, after that, on the
House Appropriations Committee.
Prior to his election to the House, he served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman Robert
Michel, whom he succeeded in representing the 18th District, and as District Administrative
Assistant to Congressman Thomas Railsback. He also served in the Illinois State Legislature.
Before his career in government, Secretary LaHood was a junior high school teacher, having
received his degree from Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. He was also director of the
Rock Island County Youth Services Bureau and Chief planner for the Bi-States Metropolitan
Planning Commission in Illinois.
Dr. Despina Stavrinos, US Secretary of Transportation
Ray LaHood, and Dr. Russ Fine at the
2009 Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, DC
Dr. Russ Fine and
Dr. Despina Stavrinos
were recently invited by
Sec. LaHood to return to
Washington, DC in September
to attend the 2010
Distracted Driving Summit.
Drs. Fine and Stavrinos are
honored by this distinction
and look forward to
attending the Summit.
Alabama Distracted
Driving Summit
Co-Sponsors
AAA of Alabama
Alabama Broadcaster’s Association
Alabama Department of Economic and
Community Affairs
Alabama Department of Public Health
Alabama Department of Public Safety
Alabama Department of Transportation
Alabama Parent Teacher Association
Alabama Trucking Association
BioInjury, LLC, Alexandria, VA
Birmingham Regional Emergency
Medical Services System
Center for Advanced Public Safety,
University of Alabama
Federal Highway Administration
D. Michael Andrews, Attorney at Law,
UAB UTC Advisory Board
Member, Montgomery, AL
Dr. Andrea Underhill
Drs. Jay Goldman and
Renitta Goldman
Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis &
Miles, PC, Montgomery, AL
Jefferson County Youth
Transportation Program
National Transportation Research
Center, Inc.
Regional Planning Commission of
Greater Birmingham
Safety Research & Strategies, Inc.
Rehoboth, MA
Southeast Child Safety Institute
Southern Consortium for Injury
Biomechanics
Translational Research for Injury
Prevention Laboratory
UAB Center for Aging
UAB Center for Injury Sciences
UAB Center for Research in Applied
Gerontology
UAB Department of Civil, Construction
and Environmental Engineering
UAB Department of Emergency
Medicine
UAB Department of Ophthalmology,
Clinical Research Unit
UAB Injury Control Research Center
UAB Master of Public Administration
Program
University of Missouri-St. Louis Center
for Transportation Studies
University of Pennsylvania Center for
Brain Injury and Repair
44
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

UTC Leadership and Special Guests
1.) Dr. Robert Rich
Robert Rich is Senior Vice President for Medicine of UAB
and Dean of the School of Medicine at UAB. He received
his M.D. from the University of Kansas. In 1973,
Rich joined the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine as
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and
Medicine. In 1978, he was promoted to Professor and
in 1995 was named Distinguished Service Professor.
He was an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical
Institute from 1977 to 1991. From 1990 to 1998,
he served as Vice President and Dean of Research at
Baylor. From 1998 to 2004, he was Executive Associate
Dean for Research and Strategic Initiatives at Emory
University School of Medicine. From 2003 to 2008 he
served as Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Immunology.
He is also Editor-in-Chief of a comprehensive textbook
Clinical Immunology: Principles and Practice. Currently
Rich is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Centre
for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Vice-Chairman
of the Board of Directors of the UAB Health System
and a member of the Advisory Panel on Research of the
Association of American Medical Colleges. In 2008, he
received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American
Association of Immunologists.
2.) Dr. Russ Fine
Russ Fine graduated from Southern Illinois University (BA,
1966), the University of Missouri (MSPH, 1967) and
the University of Oklahoma (PhD, 1970). Prior to being
recruited by UAB, he conducted research at the FAA’s
Civil Aeromedical Research Institute, served as Research
Director for the Chicago Board of Health, as an aide
to the Governor of Illinois, and was VP of Mediclinic,
Corp. From 1975-1987, Fine was a faculty member in
UAB’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
achieving rank of full professor in 1983. He was
Director of Research for the Medical Rehabilitation
Research and Training Center in Spinal Cord Dysfunction
and Co-Director of the UAB SCI Care System as well as
the National SCI Statistical Center. In 1988, Fine moved
to UAB’s Department of Medicine. He is Principal
Investigator/Director of the UAB Injury Control Research
Center, the Southern Consortium for Injury Biomechanics
and the UAB University Transportation Center. He
chaired the Alabama Governor’s Task Force on Drunk
Driving, and serves on the Alabama Impaired Drivers
Trust Fund board. He has published extensively in scientific
journals and textbooks, and has presented expert
testimony before various Congressional Committees and
sub-committees.
3.) Dr. Jay Lindly
Jay Lindly received his first two degrees in Civil Engineering
and then began a five-year stint with Exxon
Research & Engineering Company. While at Exxon,
the company was strongly engaged in converting
solids such as coal and oil shale into synthetic fuels.
At that time, Lindly performed research and design
work for the “solids handling” group that planned how
large quantities of solids could be transported, stacked,
reclaimed, fed into reactors, and removed and landfilled.
After leaving Exxon, Dr. Lindly attended Purdue
University, graduating with a Ph.D. in transportation
engineering in 1987. His dissertation work concerned
using falling weight deflectometers to design the thickness
of flexible overlays of flexible pavements. Since
that time, he has been employed at the University of
Alabama, where he is now a Civil Engineering professor
and the Director of the University Transportation
Center for Alabama. Current research interests include
transportation safety, rural transit, the highway/utility
interface and transportation funding methods.
4.) Dr. Daniel Turner
Daniel Turner holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the
University of Alabama, and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M.
During his 30 years at the University of Alabama,
Turner has served as the Director of the Engineering
Technology Programs, Head of the Department of Civil
& Environmental Engineering and founding Director
of the University Transportation Center for Alabama.
Turner’s specialties are teaching, research and service
in traffic operations and safety; highway design; transportation
management, finance and policy; and homeland
security. He has conducted 110 research and
training projects for more than $25 million; published
more than 300 articles, reports and books; made
more than 500 presentations; and developed or taught
70 short courses. Turner has been an engaged leader
of his profession, having been elected President of
the American Society of Civil Engineers and President
of the Council of University Transportation Centers. In
addition, he has served on the Board of Directors of
ABET (the engineering accreditation organization) and
the American Association of Engineering Societies, and
currently is poised to serve on the Executive Committee
of the Transportation Research Board of the National
Academies.
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
Specific Accomplishments 45

1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
PANEL 1: Definitions, Data and Research Results
A context setting panel that discussed the definition of distracted driving, data on the extent of the issue, types of distraction, research and research results.
1.) Dr. Despina Stavrinos
Despina Stavrinos obtained a doctorate in Lifespan
Developmental Psychology in May 2009 from the
University of Alabama at Birmingham and is currently a
Postdoctoral Fellow at the UAB University Transportation
Center (UAB UTC). Her research program primarily focuses
on child cognitive development issues, particularly
as they relate to transportation-related injuries. Stavrinos
is Principal Investigator of a study funded by the UAB
UTC and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Center
for Child Injury Prevention Studies that is examining the
effects of cell phone conversation and text messaging
distraction on motor vehicle crash-related injury risk in
teens with (and without) Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder. Stavrinos has authored or co-authored six manuscripts
and three book chapters, and has made more
than 25 scientific presentations throughout the U.S. She
has received a number of awards, including a Dwight
D. Eisenhower Fellowship through the U.S. Department
of Transportation, the 2007 Lizette Peterson-Homer Memorial
Injury Research Grant Award and the 2008 UAB
UTC Student of the Year Award. Her work on distracted
pedestrians, which was featured in Pediatrics in 2009,
also earned her the Society of Pediatric Psychology and
CDC Injury Prevention Student Research Award.
2.) Dr. John Lee
John D. Lee is a professor in the Department of Industrial
and Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin,
Madison. Previously with the University of Iowa, he was
the director of human factors research at the National
Advanced Driving Simulator. He also was a research
scientist at the Battelle Human Factors Transportation
Center for six years. He is a co-author of the textbook
An Introduction to Human Factors Engineering and is
the author or coauthor of more than 170 articles. He
has served as a member of the National Academy of
Sciences committee on human system integration and
several other committees for the National Academy
of Sciences. Dr. Lee serves on the editorial board of
Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making; Cognition,
Technology and Work; International Journal of Human
Factors Modeling and Simulation; and is the associate
editor for the journals Human Factors and IEEE-Systems,
Man, and Cybernetics. His research focuses on the
safety and acceptance of complex human-machine
systems by considering how technology
mediates attention.
3.) Dr. Richard J. Hanowski
Richard J. Hanowski is the Director of the Center for
Truck and Bus Safety at the Virginia Tech Transportation
Institute. He has formal training in human factors
engineering, systems design, safety, research methods,
experimental design, statistics, training and humancomputer
interaction. His experience includes transportation
human factors with both heavy and light vehicles,
laboratory and field testing, real-time automobile and
heavy vehicle simulation, advanced system development
and testing, design guideline development and
human performance evaluation. Hanowski is the
author of more than 150 publications and has received
numerous research awards. His research, which has
had an impact on national transportation policy (e.g.,
Hours-of-Service for truck drivers, driver distraction/
texting), has been featured in many areas of the media
including the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN,
the Discovery Channel and the Weather Channel. He
currently serves as the Fatigue Subject Matter Expert for
National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence.
Dr. Hanowski has served as Principal Investigator
or Co-PI on approximately 50 projects, managing over
$22 million in contract research. He currently serves as
the Project Manager for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite
Quantity contract for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration.
4.) Dr. Melvin Davis
Melvin Davis has 31 years of experience in higher
education administration, teaching and research. He
has presented nationally and internationally in Australia
and Canada. Since returning to full-time teaching and
research five years ago, he has directed eight dissertations,
written 10 articles and directed several research
projects. Early in his career, he completed a research
study for Spain Rehabilitation Center on spinal cord
injury, a population in need study for the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers of 41 counties along the Tennessee-
Tombigee Waterway Corridor, and adapted the Bruns-
Lens Model to understanding rural mental health among
African-Americans. Having grown up in a southern
rural African-American community, Davis is close to the
African-American culture. Since becoming executive
director of Mississippi Urban Research Center two years
ago, he has been using this connection to investigate urban
problems. He will tell you that cell phone use ranks
high on the list of urban problems. Davis is married with
two adult daughters, three grandchildren, and one sonin-law.
46
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

PANEL 2: Public Awareness and Education
This panel reviewed various initiatives to increase public awareness of the safety issues associated with distracted driving.
1.) Ms. Dee Fine
Dee Fine is a familiar figure in Alabama, on radio,
television and in newspapers, as well as in the
State Capitol. Dee and her husband, Russ, founded
Alabama’s first MADD Chapter during the 1980s. Dee
quickly became MADD’s National Vice President and
was among MADD National’s leaders responsible for
its greatest success, the National Minimum Drinking Age
Act of 1984. After leaving MADD, Dee conceptualized,
planned and implemented the Attorney General’s
Office of Victims Assistance. She served three years as
the executive director of that office. Upon leaving state
government, Dee began her broadcasting career. Along
with her husband Russ, Dee enjoyed a 20-year radio
career which included nearly five years on both radio
and television simultaneously. Dee has made numerous
guest appearances on major television shows including
NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America
and CBS’s Early Morning, The Montel Williams Show,
Hannity and Colmes, The O’Reilly Factor, Neil Cavuto
and The Lou Dobbs Show. Dee earned a Decided Black
Belt in Taekwondo Karate and is the mother of two,
grandmother of two and “Mommy” to three Rhodesian
Ridgebacks, with whom Dee and Russ share their home.
4.) Mr. Fred Gray, Jr.
Fred D. Gray, Jr., Esq., is a Partner in the Law Firm of
Gray, Langford, Sapp, McGowan, Gray & Nathanson,
where he has been an attorney for the past 21
years. Born in Montgomery, Ala., he is the child of
famed civil rights attorney Fred D. Gray and the late
Bernice H. Gray. Gray attended public schools in
Macon County, Ala., and graduated from Alabama
Christian High School in Montgomery. He graduated
with the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political
Science from Morehouse College, attained the Juris
Doctorate Degree from Howard University School of
Law and is licensed to practice law in Alabama and
Washington, D.C. Gray is an Elder at the Tuskegee
Church of Christ, where he teaches young adult bible
classes, among other responsibilities. He is a member
of many professional, political and civic organizations,
including, but not limited to National Bar Association,
Alabama Democratic Conference, Tuskegee Civic Association,
NAACP, PTA and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,
Inc. He serves as Vice President for Legislation and
Advocacy with the Alabama PTA and Vice President
for the State of Alabama Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He
and his wife, Bridgett, have two children.
1.)
2.)
3.)
2.) Ms. Ginny MacDonald
Ginny MacDonald has worked with The Birmingham
News for 19 years as a reporter and assistant features
editor; she began writing the Driver’s Side column in
1999. The column attracts between 20 and 25 written
questions and comments each week, plus numerous
phone calls and “hey yous” on the street. A native of
south Alabama, Ms. MacDonald moved from Pensacola,
Fla., to Birmingham in 1990. She has previous
journalism experience as a magazine editor, newspaper
features editor and metro editor. Ms. MacDonald previously
worked with the now-defunct Alabama Journal.
Her husband, John, is assistant internet editor at the
News. She has two children, Brad and John Matthew,
as well as two grandchildren.
3.) Mr. Clay Ingram
Clay Ingram has served as the Public Relations and Marketing
Manager for AAA Alabama for over five years.
His current responsibilities include state-wide media relations,
traffic safety coordination and legislative initiatives.
He formerly served as Marketing Director for SouthWare
Innovations, Inc. in Auburn, Ala. He also has served as
the General Manager of the Durham Braves Baseball
Club in Durham, N.C. He has worked as the Communications
Director for a U.S. Congressional Campaign
and as the Sports Information Director at Auburn University
- Montgomery. Clay is a Gulf War veteran, having
served five years in the U.S. Air Force. He is a native
of Ashland, Ala., and a graduate of Auburn University.
He also volunteers as a youth baseball and basketball
coach. He and his wife, Katie, have two sons, Jake and
Zack.
5.) Mr. Gene Vonderau
Gene Vonderau has served as the Director of Safety
and Member Services for the Alabama Trucking
Association since 1999. The association is made
up of large and medium-sized trucking companies
and allied firms, the majority of which are based in
Alabama. Vonderau is a graduate of Fort Wayne
Commercial College and holds the Certified Director
of Safety designation from the North American
Transportation Management Institute. He serves on the
board of directors of Alabama Operation Lifesaver,
and the advisory boards of the truck technician
programs for Lurleen B. Wallace Community College
in Opp, Ala., and Lawson State Community College
in Bessemer, Ala. He also sits on several committees
for the American Trucking Association Safety Council.
He has been in the trucking business for nearly 40
years and has directed the safety programs for three
trucking companies, ranging in size from 450 to 1100
trucks, operating in the 48 continental states and five
provinces of Canada.
4.)
5.)
Specific Accomplishments 47

1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)
PANEL 3: LEGISLATION, REGULATION & ENFORCEMENT
This panel reviewed legislative and regulatory approaches for addressing distracted driving, enforcement issues and public attitudes.
1.) Dr. Bill King
Bill King is Divisional Director of the Southeast Child
Safety Institute, a child injury prevention program of
Children’s Hospital of Alabama. His Division includes the
Regional Poison Control Center, the Pediatric Telephone
Triage program, the Alabama Safe Kids Campaign, the
Think First program, and the Children’s Connection Line.
Bill has practiced at Children’s Hospital since 1978. King
received his BS in Pharmacy from Samford University
and his Masters and Doctorate from the UAB School of
Public Health. King is Professor of Pediatrics in the UAB
School of Medicine and Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
in the UAB School of Public Health. He has authored
numerous works in the peer reviewed literature. King has
served on the Alabama Child Death Review Team, the
National Safe Kids Campaign Technical Advisory Committee
and in other state and local advisory committees.
He has received several recognitions and awards for his
work in childhood injury prevention including two U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission awards of service,
Outstanding Service Award to Child Injury Prevention by
the American Academy of Pediatrics and the William
Henry Sanders Award in recognition of service to the
public health by the Medical Association of the State of
Alabama.
2.) Col. J. Christopher Murphy
J. Christopher Murphy was sworn in as director of the
Alabama Department of Public Safety in December
2006, upon his appointment by Gov. Bob Riley. Col.
Murphy’s focus for public safety is improved effectiveness
and efficiency, and his leadership has sparked adultbased
trooper training, increased traffic safety, improved
Driver’s License services, construction of a new academy
in partnership with Postsecondary Education, and
leadership development. The colonel commands almost
1,500 employees who staff the Administrative, Alabama
Bureau of Investigation, Driver’s License, Highway Patrol,
Protective Services, and Service divisions. A 30-year
law enforcement veteran, Col. Murphy began his career
with the Auburn Police Department. He then served as a
special agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
before joining the U.S. Secret Service. Col. Murphy’s tenure
with the Secret Service included protective details for
presidents, vice presidents and foreign heads-of-state; and
criminal investigations, including financial and computer
crimes. Upon retirement from the service in 2006, Col.
Murphy was special agent in charge of the Birmingham
District, managing offices in Alabama and Mississippi. A
native of Birmingham, Col. Murphy earned an undergraduate
degree at Auburn University and a master’s degree
at Troy University. Col. Murphy and his wife have three
sons.
3.) Mr. Terry Henderson
Terry Henderson is the State Coordinator – Alabama
Office of Highway Safety (AOHS) of the Alabama
Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA)
– Law Enforcement and Traffic Safety Division (LETS).
The Alabama Office of Highway Safety manages all
grant funding received from the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA). Mr. Henderson coordinates
the activities of the nine Alabama Community Traffic
Safety Program Coordinators, the Child Passenger Safety
Coordinator and the Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor
and Department Program Managers. The major goal for
the AOHS is to reduce Traffic Fatalities and major injuries
resulting from Highway Traffic Crashes. Mr. Henderson is
a member and Co- Chairman of the State Safety Coordinating
Committee, Chairman of the State Traffic Records
Coordinating Committee, and serves as the Alabama
Senior Law Enforcement Liaison. He is also a member of
the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board
and Emergency Medical Services for Children Advisory
Board. Mr Henderson is a native of Chambers County,
a graduate of Auburn University, and currently resides in
Ashland, Ala.
4.) Sen. JT “Jabo” Waggoner
J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner, a Birmingham native, is serving
his fifth term in the Alabama Senate after serving 1966-
1983 in the House of Representatives. Sen. Waggoner
is president of Birmingham Business Consultants, LLC. He
received his B.A. degree from Birmingham Southern College
and his J.D. degree from Birmingham School of Law.
He and his wife, Marilyn are the parents of four children:
Scott (deceased), Mark, Lyn Waggoner Kilpatrick, and
Jay. He serves on the following boards: United Cerebral
Palsy, Metropolitan Development Board, Better Business
Bureau, Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau,
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and Pinnacle Bank.
He served as head coach of the Birmingham Touchdown
Club and was president of the Birmingham Tip-Off
Club. Pursuant to Senate Rule 47(i), Sen. Waggoner
was elected Senate Minority Leader in the 2002-2006
quadrennium, and re-elected for the current quadrennium
on Jan. 16, 2007. Under the provisions of Rule 47(j),
Sen. Waggoner, as Senate Minority Leader, is a voting
member of all Senate Standing Committees, except the
local legislation committees and the Rules Committee.
Sen. Waggoner has the longest record of service of any
legislator from Jefferson County in Alabama history.
5.) Rep. Jim McClendon
Jim McClendon retired from his private optometry practice
upon beginning his first term in the Alabama Legislature
in 2002. He currently is serving his second term. McClendon
did his undergraduate work at Birmingham Southern
College and received his Doctor of Optometry from the
University of Houston. He served in the Navy Medical
Service Corps in Vietnam and afterwards taught clinical
optometry at UAB. He was in private practice in Leeds
and Moody, Ala., for many years. He is a past president
of the Alabama Optometric Association and a former
board member of St. Anne’s Home and the Jefferson
County Health Planning Commission. He was a founding
director of the Davis Lake Fire Department and serves
on several committees at First United Methodist Church
of Springville. McClendon also serves on several House
standing committees and joint House-Senate committees.
He is chairman of the State Safety Coordinating Committee
and member of the Joint Prison Oversight Committee,
Joint Sunset Committee, House Health Committee and the
House County and Municipal Government Committee.
48
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

UAB UTC Featured in RITA Spotlight Newsletter
Each month, RITA’s University Transportation Centers
Program publishes a much anticipated, widely disseminated
newsletter highlighting noteworthy findings or
other significant accomplishments reported by one of the
University Transportation Centers in its national network.
This past June, 2010, the UTC Spotlight Newsletter featured
findings from the UAB UTC study which examined
and analyzed the impact of urban sprawl on delays emergency
service providers are likely to experience while
traveling to an emergency site as well as from such sites
to appropriate hospitals or trauma centers.
By way of background, urban sprawl is an increasingly
common development pattern in the US, characterized
by low-density construction, poor street connectivity,
and single-use zoning. Urban planning and public health
research show that urban sprawl increases trip distances
and traffic density for personal automobile travel, which
decrease travel efficiency. These findings led researchers
to hypothesize that urban sprawl may also be associated
with delays in the movement of emergency medical
service (EMS) personnel and equipment to a site and
subsequently to a tertiary care facility such as a trauma
center.
As described in his recently completed research project
report, Urban Sprawl and Pre-hospital Emergency Care
Time, Matthew Trowbridge, MD, MPH, and his team
measured the relationship between county-level urban
sprawl and EMS response times in the US. Dr. Trowbridge
determined urban sprawl to be associated with
increased EMS response time and a higher probability of
delayed EMS arrival following motor vehicle crashes. The
probability of delayed EMS arrival is nearly twice as high
in counties with prominent sprawl characteristics compared
to counties with less urban sprawl.
UAB UTC’s research confirmation of urban sprawl’s
association with increased EMS response times underscores
the importance of considering future land use and
its potential impact on the delivery of emergency care
services. Moreover, we know the lagging of medical
infrastructure behind residential development in sprawling
suburban areas distances such communities from
major trauma and tertiary care centers. Less expensive
home prices in sprawling urban areas tend to attract lower
income populations, including the elderly, who often have
limited access to transportation. Data have confirmed that
both demographic groups are at higher risk for emergency
medical issues and the need for EMS services. EMS
service is increased per capita in the same sprawling areas
where it is more difficult and expensive to provide.
Working to reconfigure street networks in existing
suburban areas to reduce their sprawling characteristics
will take time. In the interim, it is reasonable to consider
reorganizing pre-hospital and hospital resources to better
compensate for the impact of urban sprawl on emergency
response. The results of this research, combined with
information from other related UAB UTC-sponsored
research projects, are being used to help develop land
use and public safety recommendations. It is hoped these
recommendations will help change the way communities
are planned and the way hospital and other health care
resources are allocated.
The UAB UTC is working to help achieve livable, sustainable,
and healthy communities through projects like
Urban Sprawl and Pre-hospital Emergency Care Time
and other complementary research efforts. For a copy of
the UTC Spotlight Newsletter featuring this UAB UTC
research project or for additional information about this
project or the other UAB UTC-sponsored projects, we
invited you to visit the UAB UTC website,
www.uab.edu/utc.
Specific Accomplishments 49

50
New Research Laboratory
Targeting Distracted Driving
Established by UAB UTC
When UAB UTC Leadership selected Dr. Despina
(Dessie) Stavrinos to become the UTC’s first Post-
Doctoral Fellow in the Spring of 2009 and Dr. Russ Fine
agreed to be her mentor, leadership already knew Dessie
was an energetic, intellectually honest young investigator.
They also knew she would use the multiple skill-sets she
acquired and honed during her post-graduate fellowship
at the UAB UTC to become a highly successful transportation
research scientist and educator. What they didn’t
know was how quickly Dr. Stavrinos would make the
most of the opportunities provided through her affiliation
with the UAB UTC.
As part of her preparation for post-doctoral training, Dr.
Stavrinos conceptualized and designed a research project
that had been approved by UAB UTC Leadership and selected
for funding by the UAB UTC Advisory Board. Her
position provided a salary consistent with UAB guidelines
for post-doctoral students, office space and the opportunity
to conduct her research project. Many people would
have been happy to stop right here – not Dr. Stavrinos.
Before her first official day as the UTC’s post-doctoral
trainee, Dr. Stavrinos expanded her original, UAB UTC
sponsored research award and acquired supplemental
funding by securing a modest grant award from Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The CHOP award
enabled her to add a component to her existing UAB UTC
research project, something that would not have been possible
without the initial UAB UTC award. Dr. Stavrinos
now had two sources of funding, an expanded research
project, a salary and an office. Once again, many people
would have been happy to stop there, but not Dr. Stavrinos.
Soon after beginning her Post-Doctoral training on June 1,
2009, Dr. Stavrinos established the Translational Research
for Injury Prevention (TRIP) Laboratory ® at the UAB
UTC (www.triplaboratory.com). The TRIP ® Lab’s mission
is to provide a scientific environment that promotes the
generation of knowledge intended to increase our understanding
of the behavioral aspects of distracted driving
among teens and young adults and then translate those
findings into injury prevention and control practice. Since
its establishment less than a year ago, well over a dozen
graduate and undergraduate students have been a part of
the TRIP Laboratory research group. Working in the TRIP
Lab offers a unique opportunity for students to learn about
research and something about how non-traditional
disciplines can actually have important roles in the
uab utc annual report 2009-2010
“As a psychologist by
training, it’s deeply
rewarding to see
traditional transportation
disciplines demonstrate a
keen appreciation for behavioral research’s role
solving critical transportation issues.”
Dr. Despina (Dessie) Stavrinos
transportation field. Some students are earning course
credit for their work in the TRIP Lab. (See Winter 2009
UAB UTC UPDATE for more details www.uab.edu/utc.)
Work being conducted in the TRIP Lab is not going
unnoticed. Within the past year, Dr. Stavrinos has been
featured numerous times in print, electronic and television
media, both nationally and internationally, explaining and
discussing the impact of distracted driving. She served as
the Research Panel moderator at the Alabama Distracted
Driving Summit and, along with UAB UTC Director Dr.
Russ Fine, was one of only two individuals from the State
of Alabama invited to attend and participate in the US-
DOT Secretary’s first National Distracted Driving Summit
in Washington, DC in late 2009.
So, in the year since beginning her Post-Doctoral Fellowship
with the UAB UTC, Dr. Despina Stavrinos has
secured outside funding to supplement her research, established
the novel, highly successful TRIP Laboratory, been
featured nationally and internationally as a distracted driving
expert, and is mentor to over a dozen students. Once
again, most people would have been content to stop right
here – but, you guessed it – not Dr. Stavrinos.
In February 2010, Dr. Stavrinos obtained funding from the
University Transportation Center for Alabama (UTCA) to
further expand her distracted driving research. This new
project, Impact of Distracted Driving on Traffic Congestion,
examines driver behavior in a virtual driving simulator
in different levels of traffic flow while engaging in
various distracting activities. It also examines the factors
that predict risky driving behavior in the varying traffic
and distraction conditions. Dr. Stavrinos and the TRIP
Lab group are in the process of recruiting participants for
this study.
As she is quick to point out, “Without the research experience
and the resources made possible by the support of
the UAB UTC, I would not have been able to achieve as
much as I have in such a short period of time.”
Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008
in crashes involving a distracted
driver, and more than half a
million were injured. (NHTSA)

UAB UTC Welcomes New UTC Scientist and
Forges New Partnership with UAB School of Nursing
UAB UTC leadership is pleased and gratified to be able
to announce the affiliation of Karen Heaton, RN, PhD,
an Assistant Professor of Nursing in the UAB School of
Nursing’s Department of Community Health, Outcomes,
and Systems. Dr. Heaton serves also as the Occupational
Health Nursing Program Director for the National Institute
of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) funded
Deep South Center for Occupational Safety and Health.
In her faculty practice role, Dr. Heaton serves as a Nurse
Practitioner at the City of Birmingham Occupational
Health Clinic, and has experience as a staff nurse and
nurse practitioner in emergency nursing and as a nurse
practitioner in a facility providing occupational health
services to more than 20 businesses in the Louisville,
KY area.
Dr. Heaton received her BSN from the University of Alabama
at Birmingham, an MSN degree from the University
of Louisville, a post-master’s Family Nurse Practitioner
certificate from George Washington University, and a PhD
degree in nursing from the University of Kentucky.
Between 2004 and 2007 Dr.
Heaton was recipient of a Dr. Karen Heaton
predoctoral fellowship known
as the Ruth Kirchenstein National Research Service
Award for dissertation research from the National Institute
of Nursing Research. Dr. Heaton used this research award
to complete an important study focusing on performance
actigraphy and sleep in long-haul truck drivers. She was
also named as an Honors Scholar when she received the
2009 Health Disparities Research Training Award from
the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Dr. Heaton’s appointment as a UTC Scientist coupled
with her current involvement as Co-Principal Investigator
on a UTC-driven grant proposal, along with Dr. Despina
Stavrinos, holds great promise for the UTC’s linkage with
scientists from UAB’s highly regarded School of Nursing.
Dr. Heaton’s program of research on obstructive sleep
apnea indicators and risk factors for injury and cardiovascular
disease in workers has resulted in opportunities as
invited participant to NIOSH’s Public Meeting on Survey
of Truck Driver Injury and Health, and as Consultant for
the American College of Chest Physicians’ Sleep Educator
Program.
Dr. Heaton’s research interests focus on relationships
between sleep restriction and injury risk in long haul truck
drivers; obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular risk
in workers; evaluating interventions that may reduce the
risks of injury and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
She has written and published on topics such as sleep and
motor vehicle crashes, identifying variables that predict
falling asleep at the wheel in long-haul truck drivers and
truck driver hours of service regulations: the collision of
policy and public health.
Specific Accomplishments 51

UAB UTC Assists Fellow UTCs in Research Selection
UAB UTC leaders have as a core value, the belief that
leaders of all federally funded research centers must be
ever-mindful that the money they are privileged to spend
on behalf of their centers and the research, educationtraining
and service projects conducted therein comes
from and belongs to the American taxpayers.
At the UAB UTC, our fundamental, underlying operating
principle is that the taxpayers deserve to have their money
spent in a judicious, efficient and effective manner. Part
of being a good steward of taxpayer money is making
sure that funded research projects meet or exceed a high
standard of excellence. This includes assuring that high
standards of excellence in research are not only pursued
but also met by UAB UTC scientists. In other words, a
thorough research project review process is essential to
selecting first-rate project proposals that will best serve
the taxpayers who underwrite them.
Being a responsible steward of taxpayer money is a
defining characteristic of the UAB UTC. The UAB UTC
Leadership not only embraces a sense of responsibility for
the fate of the money awarded to its UTC, but also for the
fate of the money awarded to other UTCs. In support of
this commitment, the UAB UTC Leadership makes every
attempt to avail an appropriate staff member as a research
project reviewer for other UTCs whenever possible.
This year, Dr. Russ Fine and Dr. Andrea Underhill volunteered
to review, critique, score and make “fund / do not
fund” recommendations for several research proposals
submitted to Transportation Northwest at the University
of Washington. TransNow, as the Center is most commonly
referred, is a Regional University Transportation
Center (UTC) administered by the USDOT through RITA.
Similarly, Dr. Despina Stavrinos volunteered to review,
critique, score and make “fund / do not fund” recommendations
for the University Transportation Research Center
(UTRC) at the City College of New York.
UAB UTC Exploring
Partnership with Volvo
In early August, Dr. Russ Fine, Mr. Jeffrey Foster and Dr.
Despina Stavrinos traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina
to meet with Dr. Karin Svensson and Dr. Jan Hellager of
Volvo Technology – North America (VTEC). The meeting’s
purpose was to explore a potential partnership with
Volvo to conduct a new line of research examining
distracted driving and heavy truck operators. We are
pleased to report the exchange was very positive and the
UAB UTC’s presentation well-received by VTEC
representatives.
Subsequent to the early August meeting, Drs. Svensson
and Hellager presented the UAB UTC collaboration
concept to other Volvo Truck scientists in Sweden. Subsequently,
UAB was advised that VTEC was “positive”
about the concept of merging the two projects; and, that
VTEC representatives would notify NTRCI officials about
the important conceptual accord that had been reached.
As this is written, UAB UTC representatives and VTEC
leadership from the Greensboro, NC office are continuing
the partnership discussions to determine whether the two
independent proposals can, in fact, be merged at this late
stage of the NTRCI award process.
52
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

UAB UTC Exploring Partnership with Auburn University
The UAB UTC and Auburn University have joined forces
to help improve transportation safety. UAB UTC Director,
Dr. Russ Fine, and Dr. Jay Goldman, Associate Director
Emeritus of Research and Scientific Oversight along with
Mr. Jeff Foster, Associate Director for Administration and
Finance are working with Auburn University’s Dr. Robert
Thomas, Dr. Jerry Davis, Dr. Rich Sesek, and Dr. Woojin
Park to explore the most efficient and effective ways to
integrate UAB’s epidemiology, medical and modeling
capabilities with Auburn’s Industrial and Systems (INSY)
Engineering Department’s Occupational Safety, Ergonomics,
and Injury Prevention research group (http://www.
eng.auburn.edu/ie/ose/index.htm).
Following an initial meeting this past May in Birmingham,
Jeff Foster met with Auburn officials and toured
their facilities near the University. Subsequently, Mr. Foster,
Dr. Seseck, and Dr. Park toured the National Center
for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) with Dr. Buzz Powell,
Assistant Director and Test Track Manager (http://www.
ncat.us). The NCAT facility is a one of a kind facility.
While the vast majority of research at the track is focused
on asphalt performance, the entire facility has been fully
instrumented and provides the ideal location for a variety
of research efforts.
Following the tour of the test track facilities, Mr. Foster
was shown the Occupational Safety, Ergonomics and Injury
Prevention (OSE/IP) facilities at the recently completed
Shelby Center for Engineering Technology on the campus
of Auburn University. This state of the art building houses
the OSE/IP group’s laboratory facilities and offices. The
Auburn OSE/IP group is unique. They combine traditional
occupational safety and ergonomics research with
biomechanics and modeling. These capabilities are of
great interest to UAB UTC leadership who have expertise
with impact biomechanics and finite element modeling.
Bringing together all of this research expertise under one
umbrella is critical to the UAB UTC’s goal of improving
transportation safety. Current discussions between the
Auburn OSE/IP group and the UAB UTC have centered
on mass transit, EMS, pedestrian safety, and distracted
driving research projects, as well transportation work zone
health and safety projects.
Additionally, another collaborative research effort addressing
distracted driving risks and sleep disorders
among commercial truckers is being mounted by UAB
UTC faculty researchers Dr. Despina Stavrinos and
Dr.Karen Heaton with the NCAT test track facilities.
This proposed project, if funded, will attempt to evaluate
the impact of visual and cognitive distraction, sleep,
medication use, age and cognition
on driving performance.
On average, 102 people died
each day in motor vehicle
crashes in 2008
— one every 14 minutes.
Specific Accomplishments 53

UTC Associate Director Participates in Regional Transportation
Workforce Development Conference
As the “Baby Boomers” race toward retirement, the transportation
field finds itself facing a serious shortage in both
its current and future workforces. Due to the emphasis
being placed on the problem by the Secretary of Transportation,
Ray LaHood, the UAB UTC has redirected some
of its resources and time to try to help increase the size
and capacity of the transportation workforce both current
and future.
As part of UAB’s commitment to help address this problem,
Mr. Jeffrey Foster, UAB UTC Associate Director,
participated in the May 11, 2010 Workforce Development
Conference in Nashville, TN. The conference, hosted
by The Center for Transportation Research (CTR) at the
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was a day-long event
that brought together individuals and entities that need
and rely on a spectrum of transportation workers and the
organizations that educate and train this workforce component.
The primary focus of the discussion was on the
high school, community college and technical school
sectors in the southeastern
United States. Conference
participants included representatives
from transportation
agencies at the federal, state,
and local levels; educational
institutions and related government
agencies; transportation
carriers, contractors and
suppliers; and elected decision
makers.
Mr. Jeffrey Foster
Coming SOON
AL Transportation
Workforce
Development
Conference.
UAB UTC Planning
Alabama Transportation Workforce
Development Conference
In response to the rapidly escalating need for qualified
transportation workers in all fields (engineers, operators,
lawyers, accountants, etc), the UAB UTC will sponsor a
workforce development conference. As currently envisioned,
the Alabama Transportation Workforce Development
Conference will be conducted before the end of
2010 or in the first quarter of 2011.
The UAB UTC is currently engaged in the early phases
of the planning effort with plans to expand participation
to other stakeholders in the near future. When additional
conference details are available they will be posted on the
UAB UTC website (www.uab.edu/utc) and on the UAB
UTC’s Twitter account (UABUTC).
54
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

Workforce Development in Real Time:
Crystal Franklin Joins UTC Staff
Former UTC student intern, Crystal Franklin, has returned to the
UTC as a full-time staff member. Crystal, the UTC’s 2009 Summer
Intern, supports UTC Leadership in a variety of Center-related
activities including grant writing, administrative duties, webinar
planning and by providing invaluable assistance with various
research projects. Crystal is a graduate of Huntingdon College in
Montgomery, AL, and received her Master of Public Health, with
a concentration in Epidemiology, in August 2009. Crystal can be
reached at crynklin@uab.edu.
Crystal is not the first former student employee/intern to return
to the UTC, or to its sister Center, the Injury Control Research
Center (ICRC), in a full-time capacity. Jeff Foster, who has risen
through the ranks to that of the UAB UTC’s current Associate
Director for Administration and Finance, came to the ICRC as an
intern approximately 6 years ago. Dr. Despina Stavrinos, the UAB
UTC’s Second Post-Doctoral Fellow, started her professional career
with the Center as a Graduate Research Assistant. Dr. Andrea
Underhill, former UAB UTC Associate Director for Administration
and Finance, began her professional UAB career as an ICRC
Student Assistant, as did Ms. Carrie Connolly, MPH and Ms.
Katherine Terry Harper, MPH , both of whom were former UAB
UTC educational liaisons, coming, originally to the Center as
student workers.
The UAB UTC has established, as a priority, the early identification
and nurturing of students (high school through post-doctoral
studies) for possible professional careers in the vast field of transportation.
The priority is being pursued through several distinct
but related pathways. Our Minority Enrichment Summer Internship
targets exceptional high school students during the summer
following their graduation and their first matriculation at a college
or university. This program being operated by the UAB UTC in
conjunction with the Jefferson County (Alabama) Youth Transportation
Program (described elsewhere in this document) and UAB’s
Office of the Vice President for Equity and Diversity is assuring
that the brightest and the best high school graduates are being
exposed to a broad constellation of professional opportunities in
transportation. Further, undergraduate students as well as masters
and doctoral students from a variety of disciplines are working as
part time research assistants on various transportation research,
education and training projects across the center. The Center is
also providing annual one to three year post-doctoral fellowship
positions to qualified individuals holding doctoral degrees who
are focusing or re-focusing their professional career aspirations on
some relevant aspect of transportation.
Crystal Franklin, MPH
Jeff Foster, MPH
Despina Stavrinos, PhD
Andrea Underhill, PhD
Carrie Connolly, MPH
Katherine Terry Harper, MPH
Specific Accomplishments 55

Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Dr. David Brown
On Dec. 3, 2009, as part of the Alabama Distracted
Driving Summit luncheon, the UAB UTC, along with
the University Transportation Center for Alabama and
the Center for Advanced Public Safety (both of which are
headquartered at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa),
presented Dr. David Brown with the inaugural Lifetime
Achievement Award that was established and named
in Dr. Brown’s honor. This award which will be presented
to deserving recipients on an annual basis was presented
to Dr. Brown in recognition of his “unparalleled vision
in pushing science to new limits in the advancement of
traffic safety.”
The proclamation inscribed on the award read:
“Dr. Brown has made invaluable contributions to highway
and traffic safety, including the creation of unique
traffic safety software used by federal, state and local
agencies throughout America. The importance
of Dr. Brown’s lifelong work to reduce injuries
and deaths resulting from motor vehicle crashes is
incalculable, and the goodness and decency of this
kind, generous and humble man is incomparable.
Alabama and the World are better places because
of Dr. Brown’s commitment to excellence.”
Center; and a member of the
UAB UTC Advisory Board.
Dr. Brown has worked on behalf
of traffic safety in the state of Dr. David Brown
Alabama since the 1970s, having
now amassed more than 35 years experience in the design
and development of computerized systems to facilitate
traffic safety and law enforcement operations.
Accepting the award on Dr. Brown’s behalf were his
children, Ms. Lesley Brown Garland of Sacramento,
California and Dr. Jonathan Brown of Silver Springs,
Maryland.
Dr. Brown is Professor of Computer Science at
the University of Alabama; Deputy Director of
the Center for Advanced Public Safety; a Senior
Scientist at the UAB Injury Control Research
Dr. Dan Turner,retired, former director of the UTCA presents the Lifetime Achievement
Award established in his honor to Dr. Brown’s children, Dr. Jonathan
Brown and Ms. Lesley Brown Garland, both of whom traveled across the
country to accept the award on behalf of their father, Dr. David Brown, whose
recent illness prevented him from being in attendance.
56
uab utc annual report 2009-2010

funding, sources & expenditures
2009-2010
expenditures for UAB UTC
Research 39.65%
Other* 33.08%
Administration 18.52%
Education 5.29%
Technology Transfer 3.46%
TOTAL 100.00%
Other*
Travel 7.30%
Supplies 3.64%
Memberships 0.26%
F&A 88.80%
TOTAL 100.00%
NOTE: The UAB University Transportation Center is fully-funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and is not required to match DOT funding.
funding, sources section & expenditures heading 57

UAB University Transportation Center
CH19 401 • 933 19th Street South
1530 3rd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-2041
205.934.7845
For more information visit us on-line or
Follow the UAB UTC on Twitter!
www.uab.edu/utc
As part of our continuing efforts to provide and receive the most up-to-date traffic safety and injury control information, the UAB UTC
has established a Twitter account. To follow us on Twitter, search for UABUTC or click the link on our website (www.uab.edu/utc).
The UAB University Transportation Center is supported in part by Grant No. DTRT06-G-0048, U.S. Department of Transportation,
Research and Innovative Technology Administration to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.