State-wide motor vehicle traffic crash data systems provide the basic information necessary for effective highway and traffic safety efforts at any level of government - local, state or federal. State crash data are used to perform problem identification, establish goals and performance measures, determine progress of specific programs, and support the development and evaluation of highway and vehicle safety countermeasures. Unfortunately, the use of state crash data is often hindered by the lack of uniformity between and within states. While standards exist for collection of crash data, their use and application is inconsistent. For example, states do not collect the same information on their crash reporting forms, crash and data element definitions may differ, similar data element may have different meanings, and/or others may have the same meanings but different values. Inconsistent data within a state, or between multiple states, can result in incorrect interpretations, thus limiting the usefulness of the information. Many states have recently revised their crash data reporting form, and others are now in the process of doing so. Several states, during their revision process, have contacted National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or Federal highway administration (FHWA) seeking guidance. At national meetings, there have been informal requests for national guidelines for states to use when revising crash forms or working with software vendors. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 required DOT to "ensure national uniform data" and to "establish minimum criteria" for reporting of highway deaths and injuries. Renewal of this legislation as the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the Twenty First Century (TEA21) provides incentives for states developing plans that include implementation of modal data elements approved by the secretary of Transportation. NHTSA and FHWA are co-operating with the National Association of Governors' Highway Safety Representatives (NAGHSR) to develop model minimum uniform crash criteria (MMUCC). Development of MMUCC has been structured to obtain maximum input from all sectors of highway safety community. Over 20 month period, a straw model was proposed and then revised according to feedback received at meetings, via the Web, email, phone, mail, etc. before producing this final version. MMUCC includes 75 minimum data elements that need to be collected by police at the crash scene and an additional 38 data elements that can be derived (11 data elements) from those that are collected at the scene or obtained by linking (27 data elements) to other files, e.g., roadway data, injury data, etc. The total 113 data elements represent a represent a "model" data set which can be expanded as necessary to meet a state's specific needs. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting