Sept. 5, 2003

National Crash Analysis Center’s Decade of Success

After 10 Years, the NCAC Has Built a Clean Record of Research into Making Driving Safer

By Greg Licamele

When Nabih E. Bedewi and the team of researchers and students at the National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC) go out for a drive, they pay attention to the basics of driving, but also to other issues drivers might not consider. They’re constantly examining the installation of guardrails, whether sand-filled barriers are properly in place or the misuse of child-restraint systems.

Such is the life of this team at the National Crash Analysis Center, where the opportunities for research are endless in car-crazy America. Over the last 10 years, the NCAC has played a significant role in advancing automotive and road safety through partnerships with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and, most recently, the automobile industry.

“When we first started, the mission was to create a center that addressed issues important to both agencies,” said Bedewi, a professor of engineering and applied science. “FHWA deals with highways and any devices on them; NHTSA deals with the cars. But the two agencies never really looked at problems that involved both areas, despite the fact that accidents happen on the road.”

Bedewi said the phrase “solving the total safety problem” has been the guiding light over the past decade. What began with three staff members has expanded to almost 20 people working on these safety issues, including researchers at the Center for Intelligent Systems Research, led by Azim Eskandarian, associate professor of engineering and applied science.

“The biggest success has been the transformation of the NCAC over the last 10 years to become a place that has a critical mass of experts in various fields in automotive and highway safety,” Bedewi said.

The academic engine of transportation safety and research, through which the School of Engineering and Applied Science grants degrees, also has grown since it began in 1994. Forty students, including some from government and the automobile industry, have graduated with degrees.

“The students who come out of SEAS and the NCAC have learned everything they need to know to have a broad knowledge of automotive safety — they know crash testing, data analysis and gross anatomy,” Bedewi explained. “In many cases, our graduates have a much broader understanding of safety than a lot of the automotive engineers who are just working on one specific piece.”

Bedewi said GW’s credibility is so strong that there’s no need to advertise the program because it is recognized for excellence around the world. Most graduates go on to work for NHTSA or automobile manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Porsche and Mercedes.

The car companies were initially skeptical of the NCAC because it is government funded. But once they realized the type of objective research being conducted, new roads were paved for partnerships that will continue GW’s advancements in automotive safety for many years to come, including a new crash-test facility

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu

Related Links

GW's Common Wealth of Research

National Crash Analysis Center