The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) College of Arts and Sciences is excited to announce that State Farm will make a new investment in the Translational Research for Injury Prevention (TRIP) Lab.
The TRIP Lab was established in 2009 by Despina Stavrinos, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology. The mission of the lab is “to help the nation achieve a significant reduction in the rate of transportation-related deaths, injuries, and resulting disabilities, particularly in the southeastern United States.”
To accomplish this mission, the TRIP Lab interdisciplinary team—which includes undergraduate and graduate students—conducts research projects. Current research projects in the lab focus on driving safety among teens, patients who have sustained a traumatic brain injury, and health care providers who have unique occupational challenges.
The TRIP Lab also leverages a driving simulator with eye tracking which was designed by Realtime Technologies, Inc. The TRIP Lab team uses the simulator to conduct research and facilitate a distracted driving program. The team also used social media strategies (e.g., Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) to increase public awareness under the handle @UABTRIPLab. The distracted driving program serves as a powerful outreach tool that can save lives.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the TRIP Lab team created a virtual version of the program for young drivers available via Zoom sessions and YouTube videos. The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) currently supports the program through a generous grant, which helps the TRIP Lab reach students across Central Alabama. With additional resources, the virtual program has the potential to reach more schools and students across the state, including in rural areas.
Moving forward, State Farm will join RPCGB in supporting the expansion of the distracted driving outreach program, keeping true to its mission of helping to create safer and more educated communities. Through this new grant from State Farm, the TRIP Lab will reach dozens of additional schools and thousands of new students, saving lives and making roadways safer in the process.
The College of Arts and Sciences and the TRIP Lab appreciates the investment from State Farm and look forward to expanding this important work.
