Naturalistic Driving Study: Descriptive Comparison of the Study Sample with National Data

Abstract

This report provides a descriptive comparison of data from the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2) Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) sample and national data. The primary objective of the SHRP 2 NDS is to support analyses relating crash risk to driver, vehicle, roadway, and environmental characteristics. Since age is one of the most important driver characteristics, this objective is best supported by adequate sample sizes across all age groups. The national population of drivers has the greatest number of drivers in the middle age groups and progressively fewer in the younger and older ages. In contrast, the NDS oversampled younger and older drivers. In addition, the NDS oversampled newer-model-year vehicles because these vehicles provided useful data through their vehicle networks. It is important for users of the NDS data to have information on the relationship of the NDS sample to the national population. In general, many statistics taken directly from the NDS sample will not be nationally representative unless they are adjusted to account for relevant characteristics of the NDS sample.