Patricia Ann Turner

Turner, Patricia

Research Scientist

Behavioral Research Group - Gilchrist, Room 249
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
The Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3135
ph. (979) 458-2619 Ext. 82619 · fax (979) 845-4872
p-turner@tamu.edu

Short Biography

Ms. Patricia Turner is an Associate Research Scientist with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's Center for Transportation Safety and has over 18 years experience in transportation research. She has managed numerous highway safety-related projects including studies related to motorcycle safety, alcohol, bicycle and pedestrian safety, fatal crashes, and crash data analyses. More recently, Patricia's research has focused primarily on motorcycle and school bus safety.

She serves as PI for several Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) projects and leads the statewide motorcycle safety campaign, www.Look.Learn.Live.org, which incorporates outreach to motorists, motorcyclists, and traffic safety professionals. She is a member of the Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition (TMSC) and actively participates on the Coalition's Research, Education, and Roadway Design and Engineering Standing Committees.

Ms. Turner has vast experience and knowledge in the field of motorcycle safety and has established effective working relationships with several national, state and local agencies involved with improving motorcycle safety. She has successfully completed research projects for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), TxDOT, and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in the motorcycle and school bus safety area.

Patricia's experience relative to motorcycle safety includes analyzing injury and fatal motorcycle crash data from national and state databases; determining causal and contributing crash factors and potential countermeasures to reduce these crashes and related injuries; examining the impact of a weakened motorcycle helmet laws (Florida); determining factors that influence helmet use, and identifying and implementing countermeasures to address drinking and riding.

In addition to the Look.Learn.Live motorcycle safety campaign, Ms. Turner is PI on a project to develop a law enforcement training course to increase awareness about motorcycle safety issues and initiatives to help improve safety. Patricia organizes and facilitates an annual Texas Motorcycle Safety Forum and provides technical support to the motorcycle community in Texas and surrounding states.

Regarding school bus safety, Patricia led a pilot project to test the application and effectiveness of video technology to identify school bus stop-arm violators. A follow-on project included the development of educational materials to educate motorists about the state stop-arm law and increase bus driver awareness about stop-arm violations. She was also PI on a project involving a major revise and update of the state curriculum for the school bus driver training certification and recertification courses.

Education

  • Master, University of South Florida, 1993.
  • A.A., Community College of the Air Force, 1989.
  • B.S., Business Administration, University of Maryland, European Division-Spain, Spain, 1989.

Experience

  • Research Scientist, Behavioral Research Group, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, September 2010 - Present.
  • Associate Research Scientist, Behavioral Research Group, Texas Transportation Institute, July 2004 - August 2010.
  • Senior Research Associate, Manager, Safety Research, University of South Florida. Center for Urban Transportation Research, 1999 - 2004.
  • Research Associate, University of South Florida. Center for Urban Transportation Research, 1995 - 1999.
  • Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Government and International Affairs, University of South Florida. Center for Urban Transportation Research, 1991 - 1996.
  • Assistant Research Scientist, Systems Planning Program, Texas Transportation Institute., 1993 - 1995.
  • Graduate Research Assistant, Public Affairs/Broadcaasting Specialist, Armed Forces Radio & Television Service, United States Air Force, 1985 - 1991.

Affiliations

  • Member, American Society for Public Administration.
  • Member, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).
  • Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals.

Honors & Awards

Partners in Safety Award for members of the Florida Truck Safety Subcommittee Team, U. S. Department of Transportation, 2001.

1992 Graduate Student Best Paper Award, Florida Political Science Association, 1992.

Selected Publications

P.A. Turner, L.L. Higgins. Evaluation of the Measures and the Development of a Plan to Reduce the Number and Mitigate the Severity of Crashes Involving Motorcyclists on Texas Highways. 0-6712-S. Texas A&M Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. 2013.

P.A. Turner, S.R. Schrank. Fifth Annual Texas Motorcycle Safety Forum: Summary. September 2010.

P.A. Turner. Fourth Annual Texas Motorcycle Safety Forum: Summary. September 2009.