Safety Starts with Crash Data

Vision Zero ConferenceBicycle Coalition of

Greater PhiladelphiaDecember 3, 2015

Patricia Ott, P.E.MBO Engineering, LLC

OutlineTraffic Records SystemCrash Records SystemCrash ReportingGaps in DataPaper vs. Automated Improvements

Traffic Records SystemA Traffic Records System (TRS) is a virtual system of independent real systems, which collectively form the information base for the management of the highway and traffic safety activities of a State and its local subdivisions. A TRS encompasses the hardware, software, and personnel that capture, store, transmit, analyze and interpret highway safety data.--NHTSA

Traffic Records SystemCrash RecordsDriver RecordsVehicle RecordsRoadway Inventory

Citation/AdjudicationEmergency Medical/Response

NJ TRS

Traffic Records System“High-quality State traffic records data is critical to effective safety programming, operational management, and strategic planning. Every State—in cooperation with its local, regional, and Federal partners—should maintain a traffic records system that supports the data-driven, science-based decision-making necessary to identify problems; develop, deploy, and evaluate countermeasures; and efficiently allocate resources.”

-- NHTSA Traffic Records Program Assessment Advisoryhttp://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811644.pdf

 

Crash Records System Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC)

National guidance for elements to be collected on crash reports

Collection of MMUCC elements is voluntary, but funding tied to use

Recommend 110 elements to be collected: 77 elements by law enforcement at the

crash scene 10 elements derived from crash scene

information 23 elements obtained from links to driver

history, injury & roadway inventory data

Crash Reporting NJTR-1 144 fields of information Last updated 2006; currently undergoing

revision All NJ Law enforcement agencies use

NJTR-1 (exception: Port Authority of NY/NJ) NJTR-1 Guidebook, Field Manual, Yearly

training

Crash Reporting in NJCovered under Motor Vehicle Law Vehicle to Pedestrian Vehicle to Bicyclist

Not Covered under Law Bicyclist to Pedestrian Bicyclist to Bicyclist Pedestrian to Pedestrian

Apparent Contributing CircumstancesDriver/Pedalcyclist Actions ( 01 - 29 ) 01 Unsafe Speed 02 Driver Inattention * 03 Failed To Obey Traffic Control

Device 04 Failed To Yield ROW to

Vehicle/Pedes. 05 Improper Lane Change 06 Improper Passing 07 Improper Use/Failed to Use Turn

Signal 08 Improper Turning 09 Following Too Closely 10 Backing Unsafely 11 Improper Use/No Lights 12 Wrong Way 13 Improper Parking 14 Failure To Keep Right 25 None 29 Other Driver/Pedalcyclist Action

Pedestrian Factors ( 71 - 89 ) 71 Failed To Obey Traffic Control

Device 72 Crossing Where Prohibited 73 Dark Clothing/Low Visibility to

Driver 74 Inattentive * 75 Failure to Yield ROW 76 Walking on Wrong Side of Road 77 Walking in Road When Sidewalk

Present 78 Running/Darting Across Traffic 85 None 89 Other Pedestrian Factors

NJTR-1

Vehicle / Pedalcyclist Action (01-29)01 Going Straight Ahead02 Making Right Turn(not turn on red)03 Making Left Turn04 Making U Turn05 Starting From Parking06 Starting In Traffic07 Slowing or Stopping08 Stopped in Traffic09 Parking10 Parked11 Changing Lanes12 Merging/Entering Traf Lane13 Backing14 Driverless / Moving15 Passing16 Negotiating Curve17 Driving on Shoulder18 Right Turn on Red29 Other Veh/Cyclist Action *

Pedestrian Action (31-49)31 Pedestrian Off Road32 Walking To/From School33 Walking/Jogging with Traffic34 Walking/Jogging Against Traffic35 Playing in Road36 Standing/Lying/Kneeling in Road37 Getting On/ Off Vehicle38 Pushing/Working on Vehicle39 Other Working in Roadway40 Approaching/Leaving Schoolbus41 Coming From Behind Parked Veh.42 (reserved)

At Intersection43 Crossing at "marked"Crosswalk44 Crossing at "unmarked"CrosswalkAt Mid-Block45 Crossing at "marked"Crosswalk46 Crossing / Jaywalking49 Other Pedestrian Action *

Pre-Crash Action (Ped)

NJTR-1

Safety Equipment01 None02 Lap Belt03 Harness04 Lap Belt & Harness05 Child Restraint06 Helmet07 (reserved)08 Airbag09 Airbag & Seatbelts10 Safety Vest (Ped only)

NJTR-1

Gaps in Crash ReportingFocus on motor vehiclesCompeting resourcesManual vs. automatedUnreported and underreportingLaws and policiesReporting threshold (currently

$500 in NJ)

Paper vs. Automated Data Collection ½ + states in US are electronic ½ + LEAs have some electronic capabilities (NJ) Lack ability to transfer crash reports to the DOT Funding resources needed to convert paper systems Training NJ RFP to start electronic data transfer project

Automation would result in: Timeliness, accuracy, completeness, uniformity, accessibility,

integration

Improvements in Data & CollectionStandardizationAutomationFundingAdditional codes/descriptive fieldsIntegrationCommunication/Collaboration

Comments/Questions?

Patricia Ott, P.E.pat@mboengineering.com

609-610-0278

MBO Engineering, LLC