The CPS Track provides new, updated, and timely information regarding the protection of children in vehicles, from a newborn’s first ride through successful seat belt fit assessment. Presentations typically cover, but are not limited to, the following:

• Highlight new or redesigned child restraint models and manufacturer guidance
• Review correct use instructions of child restraints and the unique features of specific models
• Examine vehicle occupant protection features affecting child safety
• Discuss best practice recommendations and policies for optimal protection
• Highlight recent child passenger safety research studies
• Review regulations affecting child restraint performance and design
• Publicize successful community child passenger safety programs
• Explore training opportunities and technological advances
• Outreach efforts to provide community-based CPS education and resources
• Increase awareness of prevention strategies to prevent child hot car deaths and near-misses

The primary objective is to disseminate meaningful child occupant protection information to child passenger safety technicians and instructors, State and community-based program coordinators, advocates, first responders and healthcare providers, government agencies, industry, and other collaborators. CEU and community education sessions for CPST/CPSTI recertification are available.

The Criminal Justice / Law Enforcement Track provides current and emerging information for all parties tied to the investigation, prosecution, and supervision of individuals charged with traffic crimes, focusing on a range of topics from the vehicle stop to adjudication in court and supervision, including, but not limited to:

• Risky driving behavior interventions related to enforcement, arrest, and adjudication processes including impaired driving, speed, distraction, and reckless driving
• Collision Reconstruction
• Law Enforcement Phlebotomy Programs
• Electronic Warrants
• Use of Oral Fluid Testing by Law Enforcement and Trends in Forensic Toxicology
• AV Technology, Traffic Stops, and Officer Safety
• Supervision of High-Risk Impaired Drivers
• Identifying and Implementing Equitable Traffic Safety Measures
• CDL Masking and Human Trafficking
• Promoting Officer Safety and Wellness
• Community outreach and engagement
• Technologies and innovative strategies to detect and deter risky driving behaviors

The primary objective is to bring useful information to those responsible for the enforcement and adjudication of traffic offenses within the criminal justice system including law enforcement officers, prosecutors, court staff, treatment providers, and probation supervisors, among others.

The Communications track explores how roadway safety professionals can connect with audiences through authentic storytelling, trusted messengers, innovative campaigns, and community engagement. Sessions will provide practical tools, creative strategies, and real-world examples that help communicators inspire behavior change and improve traffic safety outcomes. For 2027, we especially encourage proposals focused on:

• AI and emerging technologies in communications
• Influencer and creator partnerships
• Social media strategy and audience engagement
• Youth-led outreach and peer-to-peer messaging
• Survivor advocacy and storytelling
• Tribal and culturally responsive communications
• Law enforcement and community partnerships
• Vulnerable road user safety communications
• Campaign measurement and evaluation
• Creative, cost-effective messaging strategies

We welcome presentations, panels, workshops, and case studies that offer actionable takeaways and demonstrated results. We strongly encourage interactive formats that actively engage attendees through discussion, collaboration, demonstrations, case studies, and hands-on learning opportunities. Proposals should emphasize practical takeaways and real-world applications over lecture-style presentations.

Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking, texting, or scrolling on your phone; eating and drinking; talking to people in your vehicle; interacting with the entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your attention away from safe driving.

There is a growing body of evidence that distracted driving – especially electronic and in-vehicle distractions – is a significant cause of fatalities and injuries in the United States. The distracted driving track aims to educate traffic safety professionals on the importance of prioritizing distracted driving when considering strategies to prevent fatalities and serious injuries on our nation’s roads. Workshops will focus on best practices to collect distracted driving data and highlight evidence-based or evidence-informed countermeasures to prevent distracted driving, including but not limited to behavioral, engineering, and policy programs, and scientific research. All presentations will provide attendees with practical information they can use to influence distracted driving behavior and programs in their communities.

Priority topics for this upcoming year include the following:

• Programs and techniques centered around how law enforcement and the court system can be more effective in upholding the law and changing driver behavior;
• Evidence-based programs that specifically address distracted driving behavior and promote behavior change;
• Data collection, technology, and research specific to distracted driving that can be used to develop and improve distracted driving programs and better target limited resources in local communities.

Each presentation should be focused on how the information can be practically used by a variety of safety advocates and disciplines attending the conference.  

DTAL provides comprehensive coverage of driver training, assessment, and licensing strategies, focusing on improving road safety and enhancing driver competence at all levels. This track is a valuable resource for driver training instructors, licensing authorities, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved in promoting safe and responsible driving practices. The presentations and discussions in this track encompass a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to:

• Driver Education, Assessment, and Licensing Policies and Procedures: Practical approaches and innovative techniques to assess driver education, licensing regulations, laws, and policies. Also includes tools for assessing driver skills, knowledge, and behavior to improve overall road safety.
• Driver Training, Technology, and Evidence-based Interventions: Training needs for drivers of all ages as related to advanced in-vehicle technologies on-board vehicles as well as after-market devices. The role of technology in driver training and assessment and their efficacy and potential for widespread implementation is also covered.
• International Best Practices: Successful driver training, licensing, and evidence-based intervention programs from around the world, showcasing exemplary approaches, policies, and initiatives that have resulted in significant improvements in road safety.
• Entry-level driver training for CDL applicants, federal standardization for CDL testing, examiner training, standardized knowledge skills in road testing, federal standardized driver record monitoring and mandated enforcement actions for driver and vehicle violations

By disseminating valuable information and facilitating knowledge exchanges, the DTAL track aims to promote evidence-based practices, support the development of comprehensive training programs, and contribute to the continuous improvement of driver competence and road safety globally.

Impaired driving is a leading source of traffic harm on our nation’s roadways. Innovative and evidence-based solutions are needed to address the emerging challenges of cannabis legalization, novel drug trends, polysubstance usage, state data enhancements and linkages, drowsy driving, and substance use and mental health disorders that are often overlooked. The track provides a platform where these evidence-based strategies, programs, and interventions are shared to reduce injuries and fatalities due to impaired driving. Workshops are developed through submissions from researchers and practitioners across all domains of traffic safety, including, but not limited to, toxicology, law enforcement, judicial, public health, behavioral health, clinical, and more. Proposals should provide novel, data-driven solutions to address impaired driving.

The OP Track disseminates news and information on current and future occupant protection priorities, focusing on those who have left booster seats up to our most senior occupants. Presentations typically cover, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• Enforcement and Education Programs
• Social Norming Programs and Research
• Occupant Protection Programs and Evaluations
• Regulations and Laws
• Scientific Studies
• Training Courses
• Vehicle Technology
• Post Crash Care Programs

Priority topics for this upcoming year include the following: Programs centered around promotion of occupant protection practices and safe traveling for teens; programs developed and/or taught by teen drivers, for teen drivers; and programs highlighting special populations, such as aging drivers, tribal communities, pregnant individuals, and people with disabilities.

The primary objective of the PBM Track is to advance pedestrian, bicycle, and micromobility safety by leading with guiding principles under the Safe System Approach, especially for at-risk and vulnerable populations through encouraging the facilitation of building safe environments for walking, biking, and micromobility use for all. Current research, tools, and best practices are provided to the road safety and injury prevention community, including advocacy groups, educators, emergency medical services, engineers and metropolitan planning organizations, law enforcement, policy makers, public health professionals, and researchers.   

The PBM track is especially interested in proposals that align with the following:

• Projects and programs that blend a variety of components, rather than standalone education, enforcement, or behavioral campaigns.
• Hands-on and/or Interactive formats.
• Individual presentations (rather than group proposals) that can easily be combined with others into broader workshops.

Topics of interest:

• E-bikes and Other Higher-Speed Personal Transportation Devices
• Systemic Engineering Improvements for Pedestrian, Bicycle and Micromobility Safety
• Micromobility Data Collection
• Vulnerable Road User Projects and Programs Based in Rural Communities, Small Towns, with Non-Traditional Partners.
• Crosswalk Lighting Projects
• Intelligent Transportation Systems
• ADA / Accessible Traffic Signals
• Local Pedestrian Safety Action Plans Highlights including the 4Es (engineering, education, enforcement, EMS)
• Vision Zero Case Studies
• Rural Approaches to Complete Streets
• Distracted and Impaired Pedestrians
• Creative Countermeasures – Outside the Box
• Vehicle Technologies (ISA Projects), Size, and Design
• New and Emerging Issues

The SS Track disseminates information and educates stakeholders on advancing road safety through the holistic Safe System Approach (SSA), its principles, elements, and real-world application.

The primary objectives are to identify opportunities for practical implementation and actionable strategies to employ the SSA across the U.S. The presentations and discussions in this track highlight innovative practices and effective interventions that advocates, practitioners, planners, state and local governments, policy makers and other stakeholders can model or implement.

Workshop content includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Complete Streets & Safe Streets for All: Strategies to enhance road safety for all road users.
• Speed Management: Research, initiatives, and programs focused on curbing excessive speeds.
• Safe Roadway Infrastructure: Engineering solutions to promote roadway safety.
• Innovative Approaches: New and emerging methods to tackle traffic safety challenges.
• Protecting Vulnerable Road Users: Countermeasures to enhance safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and others who lack the protective structure of a vehicle.
• SSA Implementation Research: Insights into effective applications of SSA to address critical road safety issues and improve safety outcomes.
• Post-Crash Care: The critical role of first responders in mitigating injury severity and preventing fatalities with efficient and effective on- scene response and pre-hospital treatment.

Vehicle-based countermeasures show promise in reducing the occurrence of fatalities and injuries by making vehicles and drivers safer. The VT/AD Track promotes discussion on advanced technologies in production and in development, limitations on what production systems can do, advanced technologies’ safety potential, and emerging issues. With some of these technologies already on the road and more coming, the goal is to provide attendees with the latest information on vehicle technology/automated driving development to ensure broad awareness of this rapidly evolving topic.

For 2027, this track will be emphasizing pathways to deployment, including the regulatory environment, consumer information programs, and ADAS training. The track is also interested in commercial motor vehicle technologies and how technologies can (and cannot) protect vulnerable road users.