NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING ACCIDENT DATA COLLECTION. FINAL REPORT

This study entailed the identification and examination of technologies and a review of the current processes related to the collection and management of motor vehicle traffic accident data. The study identified those technologies that are most promising in terms of improving the quality, accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the accident data and/or reducing the demands on police officers, accident investigators, data coders, and data entry personnel. The technologies that were examined in detail included the following: form readers/optical scanners, laptop and notebook computers, pen-based portable computers, identification technologies including magnetic stripe, bar codes, "smart" cards, Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI), the Global Positioning System (GPS), and location technologies. Detailed reviews of the processes, procedures, reporting requirements, and management of information related to traffic accident data were conducted for a sample of nine States. Interviews were conducted with people involved at all levels of the accident data collection and analysis process, including police officers, data coders, key-entry personnel, safety analysts, State and local traffic engineers, and computer systems/information management personnel. In addition, the applications of various technologies to the accident data collection and analysis process or a related process were identified and researched.