Charlie Klauer

Dr. Charlie Klauer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), affiliated with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). His research focuses on human factors engineering, driver distraction, novice teen driving behavior, and driver fatigue. Klauer holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech (2005), an M.S. in Human Factors Psychology from Wright State University (1995), and a B.A. in Psychology from Minnesota State University Moorhead (1992).

His professional history includes over two decades at VTTI, where he leads the Teen Risk and Injury Prevention Group within the Center for Vulnerable Road User Safety. Prior roles include Research Scientist at Batelle Human Factors Transportation Center (1996–1999) and Human Factors Engineer at Symvionics, Inc. (1994–1996).

Klauer’s research emphasizes naturalistic driving studies to assess risk factors such as secondary task engagement, driver fatigue, and age-related differences in crash risk. His work has contributed to high-impact publications, including a landmark 2014 study in the New England Journal of Medicine on driver distraction risks among novice and experienced drivers. His articles frequently explore interventions to improve teen driver safety, automated vehicle training, and the design of safety-critical systems.

• Key Awards: Top 15 Most Read Article (NEJM, 2014), 58th Most Talked About Study (Altmetric, 2014), Best Article Award (HFES, 2012)
• Professional Affiliations: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Transportation Research Board committees, and advisory boards for teen driver safety initiatives.

His research groups collaborate on projects analyzing real-world driving behavior, with a focus on vulnerable populations like teen drivers and elderly drivers. Klauer’s work bridges engineering, psychology, and policy to advance transportation safety through evidence-based interventions.