Using Data to Make Good Safety

DecisionsPresentation by Barbara Harsha

On behalf of the Governors Highway Safety Association

May 24, 2011

Data Collection• State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) use a

variety of data in their planning processes o Crash (both state and local and FARS)o Citation (if available)o EMS (if available)o Location datao Crime data (DDACTS) o Seat belt usageo Attitude survey

• Some federal guidelines for these data (MMUCC, NEMSIS, MIRE)

• All states have automated data collection to some extent

Data Analysis• SHSOs use crash and related data to drive their

programs:o Identify leading highway safety problems in their stateso Set short-term goalso Select countermeasureso Allocate resourceso Track progress in reaching established goals

• Seat belt usage data is used to determine where to conduct high visibility enforcement

• Attitudes survey data is used to shape media and public education campaigns

• States beginning to link crash and crime data as a way to target and better utilize motor vehicle and criminal justice resources

Traffic Records Future Vision

Crash

Roadway

Driver

VehicleInjury

Citation