A microcomputer accident report input and analysis system was adapted for the use of local police and engineering agencies. The accident report entry system (ARES) conforms to current state rules for coding, internal consistency, and edit checks. As adapted, it permits agencies to enter their own traffic accident data from Michigan's Standard Accident Report Form, the UD-10. For the local jurisdiction, the ARES software also locates the accident on the Michigan public roadway system and determines a road number and milepoint. This task was previously done only on the Michigan State Police (MSP) mainframe computer. Historically, local agencies have had limited access to state-entered accident information. Using ARES, they can now enter their own UD-10 data to the same standards as those of the MSP. The information is available for study immediately, whereas mainframe data have recently been delayed for long periods and are not always in a form convenient for local users. Output reports equivalent to MS standard analytical reports are already available locally. More advanced reporting capabilities similar to the sophisticated methods now in use at the Illinois Department of Transportation are being developed.
Abstract