Understanding the events leading up to a motor vehicle crash is crucial in preventing the crash from occurring in the first place. With that objective, the U.S. Congress authorized the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U. S. Department of Transportation to conduct a National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey (NMVCCS). NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) has completed a nationwide survey of crashes involving light passenger vehicles, with a focus on the factors related to pre-crash events – a survey of critical importance to the stakeholders in traffic safety. A sound methodology, which has been reviewed by a panel of experts, was used for this purpose. A nationally representative sample of crashes was investigated from 2005 to 2007. NMVCCS ceased investigating crashes on December 31, 2007. The data collected through the investigated crashes will better equip NHTSA and other safety advocates to evaluate and develop vehicle-related crash avoidance technologies.
NMVCCS investigated a total of 6,950 crashes during the 3-year period from January 2005 to December 2007. However, this report uses a nationally representative sample of 5,471 crashes that were investigated during a 2 ½- year period from July 3, 2005, to December 31, 2007. The remaining 1,479 crashes were investigated but were not used in this report because (1) these crashes were investigated during the transition period from January 1, 2005, to July 2, 2005, when the data collection effort was being phased in, or (2) these crashes were investigated after the phase-in period, but ultimately determined not to meet the requisite sample selection criteria. However, the data from the 1,479 crashes is still suitable for clinical, case-by-case evaluations and will be part of the file that will be released for the public use. Each investigated crash involved at least one light passenger vehicle that was towed due to damage. Data was collected on at least 600 data elements to capture information related to the drivers, vehicles, roadways, and environment. In addition, the NMVCCS database includes crash narratives, photographs, schematic diagrams, vehicle information, as well as event data recorder (EDR) data, when available. This additional information will be vital to researchers seeking to perform in-depth clinical reviews of crashes.
Samenvatting