Virginia Tech Giving Day 2025

According to the National Safety Council, almost 40,000 lives are lost in vehicle-related fatalities and 4.5 million drivers and pedestrians are injured each year. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for people ages 4 to 12 and 14 to 22 and are a leading killer in all age groups.

A global leader in transformative transportation research, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) faculty and students tirelessly work to ensure roads are safer, cars are smarter, and advances in transportation reach those who will benefit most.

You can help shape the future of transportation

Through the generous support of friends and donors, the institute can help drivers and pedestrians to be safer, make automobiles more sustainable, and provide equitable solutions for all.

Donations can advance transportation in the following areas:

Sharing the Road Safely — According to research, teen drivers initiated more than 75 percent of incidents involving heavy trucks that were — in part — due to lack of driver education. Nearly 50 percent of driver's education programs in the United States do not cover how to safely share the road with trucks or other large vehicles. VTTI researchers have developed teen-specific driver education programs that will help teen drivers learn how to share the road with other vehicles. Help put an end to transportation-related injuries and fatalities by supporting faculty and student research that aids in developing programs and safety standards for drivers of all ages.

Distracted Driving Research - VTTI is conducting research on how drivers interact with phones, infotainment systems, and fellow passengers in their vehicles with a mission of keeping everyone safe.  Our focus is to help end distracted driving from teens through mature drivers. Not only is this research being conducted in the United States, it is being studied globally.

Keeping Pedestrians & Cyclists Safe — VTTI is committed to improving pedestrian and cyclist safety on our nation's roadways. Traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries continue to be a critical issue in this country. Despite the pandemic, pedestrian- and cyclist-related fatalities and serious injuries still increased in 2020, reaffirming a need for more research in these areas. Help end traffic-related fatalities for all pedestrians and cyclists.

Be a driving force to support life-saving research, today.