UNC Highway Safety Research Center

Name

UNC Highway Safety Research Center

Legal name

University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center

Website

https://hsrc.unc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UNC Highway Safety Research Center is a university-affiliated research center at UNC-Chapel Hill that conducts evidence-based transportation safety research for federal and state agencies, operating national clearinghouses for pedestrian, bicycle, and roadway safety.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transportation Safety Research Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLAJAGAM

Road Safety Audits, Engineering & Data Analytics Services (RSA, Blackspot Analysis, Vision Zero Programs)

Transportation & Logistics/Transportation Infrastructure & Operations (Roads, Rail Networks, Traffic Management)/Road Safety Infrastructure & Services (Barriers, Signage, Speed/Red-Light Enforcement)

SECONDARYTLAJAGAJ

School Zone & Child Safety Systems (School Zone Flashers, Crossing Control, Speed Enforcement)

Transportation & Logistics/Transportation Infrastructure & Operations (Roads, Rail Networks, Traffic Management)/Road Safety Infrastructure & Services (Barriers, Signage, Speed/Red-Light Enforcement)

SECONDARYEDAEADAG

Student Transportation Safety & Security (On-Board Cameras, Incident Response)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Student Transportation & Fleet Services (School Buses, Routing)

Keywords

• Highway safety research
• Transportation safety analysis
• Crash data clearinghouse
• Pedestrian safety programs
• Road safety research

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Research Contracts and Grants: HSRC generates revenue through federally-funded research grants (USDOT, FHWA, NHTSA, CDC) and state-funded contracts (NCDOT, NC Governor's Highway Safety Program). The center has received major grants including a $3.1M five-year contract for the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, approximately $999K for the NC Transportation Center of Excellence in Advanced Technology Safety and Policy, and up to $15M for the National University Transportation Center.
2. State Appropriations and University Support: Established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1965, HSRC receives state funding support as part of UNC-Chapel Hill's research mission.
3. Scholarship Programs: The Megan Cornog Memorial Highway Safety Scholarship ($1,500 annually) supports graduate students. HSRC has also offered a Diversity Scholarship ($5,000) for undergraduate students.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HSRC conducts evidence-based transportation safety research, manages national clearinghouses and programs including the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), the National Center for Safe Routes to School, the Crash Modification Factors (CMF) Clearinghouse, and the Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety (CSCRS), and delivers training, technical assistance, and data tools to government agencies, transportation professionals, schools, and communities.

Product overview

The UNC Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC) operates as a research institution within UNC-Chapel Hill, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs, resources, and initiatives focused on transportation safety. The core offerings include national resource centers (Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, National Center for Safe Routes to School, Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety), data tools (CMF Clearinghouse, Health Outcomes Dashboard), technical assistance programs (Speed Safety Camera Enforcement, School Transportation Communications), training courses (Road Safety 101, Time to Drive), recognition programs (Walk Friendly Communities, Vision Zero for Youth Leadership Awards), and educational outreach (HSRC Directions newsletter, Megan Cornog Scholarship). These products collectively support transportation safety professionals, policymakers, and communities in improving road safety outcomes through research, education, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC): National clearinghouse providing resources, training, and technical assistance for pedestrian and bicycle safety professionals
• National Center for Safe Routes to School
• Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety (CSCRS)

Products and services

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)
• National Center for Safe Routes to School
• Crash Modification Factors (CMF) Clearinghouse
• Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety (CSCRS)
• Walk Friendly Communities Program
• Road Safety 101 Course
• Time to Drive Online Course
• Health Outcomes Dashboard
• Megan Cornog Memorial Scholarship

Quantifiable outcome

• Generated $15 in revenue for every $1 of state support
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025NCDOT is HSRC's primary state government partner. HSRC receives research contracts from NCDOT for projects including speed safety camera enforcement support, school transportation communications research, ferry access improvements, and NCDOT Research Reels video production. The partnership is ongoing with multiple active projects.
• U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC was selected to run the Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety, a National University Transportation Center funded by USDOT with up to $15M in funding. This is a flagship partnership for road safety research.
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC partnered with FHWA to launch the CMF Clearinghouse (2009) which helps transportation safety professionals identify appropriate countermeasures. Also partnered on Highway Safety Information System development (1987) and pedestrian safety course materials.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHTSA has funded multiple HSRC research projects including college drinking and driving research and child passenger safety initiatives. HSRC helped develop Click It or Ticket program evaluation (1993).
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDC has funded HSRC projects as part of public health approaches to injury prevention, including work on suicide prevention research connections to transportation safety.
• National Park ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC manages the National Capital Region Trail Monitoring and Analysis Program for the National Park Service, releasing annual reports and data analysis.
• AAA Foundation for Traffic SafetymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC co-hosted the March 2024 Safe Mobility Conference with the AAA Foundation, bringing together nearly 180 private and public professionals to advance safe mobility discussions.
• National Safe Routes to School PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal legislation (2005) created the National Safe Routes to School program, which is housed at HSRC. HSRC manages the National Center for Safe Routes to School, including National Bike to School Day launched in 2012.
• Injury Prevention Research Center (IPRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth HSRC and IPRC are housed within the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. The centers collaborate on projects including the Transportation Public Health Leadership Program launching in 2025.
• FedExmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFedEx partnered with HSRC in 2011 to launch Walk Friendly Communities, a national recognition program to encourage towns and cities to establish safer walking environments.
• General Motors (GM)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerGM provided funding for the National Center for Safe Routes to School's pilot program of quick-build projects to improve road safety for youth, with grants up to $10,000 per community.
• NC Governor's Highway Safety ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC partners with the NC Governor's Highway Safety Program on teen driver resources including the Time to Drive course, fact sheets on Graduated Driver Licensing, and webinars for parents.
• IIHS-HLDI (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC researchers visited IIHS-HLDI headquarters in November 2024 to witness safety demonstrations including a partial crash test and participate in collaborative research discussions.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC was selected in 2016 to lead PBIC under a five-year $3.1M cooperative agreement. PBIC provides resources, training, and technical assistance to improve pedestrian and bicycling safety nationwide.
• Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety (CSCRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC leads CSCRS, a USDOT-funded National University Transportation Center focused on road safety. The center produces research, webinars, and resources including the media framing guide.
• Safe Kids North CarolinamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC partners with Safe Kids NC to bring free Child Passenger Safety technician training to rural communities and recognize excellence in child safety through the Safe Kids NC Director's Award.
• NC State University Institute for Transportation Research and EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC partnered with NC State on the webinar 'Reducing Teen Crashes: Insights and Strategies for Parents, Law Enforcement, and Educators' in April 2025.
• NC Vision ZeromajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRC presents at NC Vision Zero Leadership Institute training events and collaborated on the Health Outcomes Dashboard showing emergency department visit trends for transport-related injuries.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Safety Council (NSC): Broad-incumbent nonprofit focused on eliminating preventable deaths, including road safety. NSC is comparable to HSRC as a higher-level safety organization with overlapping interests in traffic safety research and policy.
• Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA): National association representing state highway safety offices. GHSA is a broad incumbent peer that HSRC engages through the NC Governor's Highway Safety Program and joint teen driver safety initiatives.

Others

• Transportation Research Board (TRB): Program unit of the National Academies that convenes transportation researchers, including those HSRC researchers collaborate with. While not a direct competitor, TRB is the primary venue where HSRC disseminates research and engages with the broader transportation safety community.

Direct peers

• IIHS-HLDI: Highway Loss Data Institute, the data-research arm of IIHS. HLDI is comparable to HSRC's work in crash data analysis and traffic safety data stewardship; HSRC and IIHS-HLDI maintain an active collaborative research relationship.
• Safe Kids Worldwide: Global nonprofit focused on preventing childhood injuries including car seat and pedestrian safety. Comparable to HSRC's child passenger safety and Safe Routes to School work; HSRC partners with the Safe Kids NC affiliate for CPS technician training.
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): Independent nonprofit research organization focused on vehicle and road safety, conducting crash tests and publishing safety ratings. Directly comparable to HSRC as a non-university road safety research entity; HSRC researchers recently visited IIHS-HLDI to witness a crash test and discuss collaboration.
• AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Nonprofit research and public education foundation focused on traffic safety. HSRC co-hosts the annual Safe Mobility Conference with the AAA Foundation, making it a direct peer in traffic safety research dissemination and program execution.
• Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI): University transportation center at San Jose State University focused on multimodal transportation policy and safety. MTI is a comparable peer UTC competing for similar federal research dollars and publishing transportation safety research.
• Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI): Large university-affiliated transportation research center conducting naturalistic driving studies, safety, and emerging-vehicle research. Directly comparable as a peer university transportation center competing for federal UTC funding and conducting large-scale safety research.
• Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI): One of the largest university-affiliated transportation research agencies in the U.S. TTI is a direct peer to HSRC, competing for state DOT and federal research contracts and conducting multimodal safety, operations, and policy research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hsrcinfo
• Facebookfacebook.com/hsrcinfo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unc-hsrc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UNC Highway Safety Research Center