The U.S. Fire Administration, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice, has begun a study of emergent topics in emergency vehicle and roadway operations safety to assist in the development and demonstration of best practices for the emergency services. The International Fire Service Training Association will conduct the study.

Each year, approximately 25% of on-duty firefighter fatalities occur while responding to or returning from incidents, with the majority of fatalities resulting from vehicle crashes. This represents a leading cause of firefighter fatalities, second only to heart attacks.

While this is a critical issue for the fire service, it is also an issue for the law enforcement community. Data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund shows that from 2001–2010, vehicle-related crashes were the leading cause of on-duty fatalities for U.S. law enforcement officers. These fatalities represented 43% of the total number of officers who lost their lives on duty during that time.

Further information on USFA's vehicle and roadway operations safety initiatives may be found on the USFA website.