BACKGROUND
In recent years, the United States has experienced sharp, inexplicable increases in the number of pedestrian fatalities. In response to this disturbing trend, the Governors Highway Safety Association, state highway safety offices (SHSOs), state departments of transportation (DOTs), and local transportation agencies have been conducting safety analyses to better understand the problem and develop remediation plans.
Crash data is the primary source of information used for safety analysis. This critical data source, however, has many limitations, including inconsistencies in reporting, inaccurate or incomplete coding of crashes, and underreporting, especially for active transportation/non-motorized users (herein after referred to as active transportation users). Also, crash typing (used to describe events and movements prior to a crash) can lack details for pedestrian- and bicycle-involved crashes, and in some cases must be constructed using multiple variables.
Improving pedestrian and bicyclist injury and fatality data, adopting consistent typing methods at the national and local levels, improving data storage, sharing and accessibility, and integrating police and hospital crash data would help practitioners understand risk factors and potential countermeasures. It is important to understand the reasons for crash data limitations, related implications, and measures that can be taken to improve the completeness, consistency, and accuracy of crash data for active transportation users.
Research is needed to improve the current state of the practice for collecting injury and fatality data for active transportation users.
For the purposes of this project, active transportation users include pedestrians, bicyclists/pedalcyclists, e-scooter users, mobility device users (e.g., manual and motorized wheelchairs), e-bike users, skateboard riders, and users of similar personal conveyances.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research is to develop recommendations to improve the completeness, consistency, and accuracy of crash data for active transportation users. To achieve this objective, the research effort must (1) document current shortcomings related to existing data for crashes involving active transportation users (including crashes that do not involve motor vehicles in transport), and (2) consider non-motorist victim demographics and characteristics, with the goal of supporting efforts to improve equity outcomes and to enhance public health analysis, prevention, and related interventions.
TASKS
PHASE I – Planning
Task 1. Document current shortcomings related to:
A. National-level data regarding non-motor vehicle-related crashes involving active transportation users;
B. Inconsistencies with state reportable data with regard to reporting crashes involving active transportation users;
C. Underreporting of state-level reportable crashes involving active transportation users;
D. Inaccuracies in reporting of crashes involving active transportation users (e.g., crash location, injury severity, contributing factors); and
E. Crash typing for crashes involving active transportation users.
As part of this task, the research team should conduct a literature review to document relevant studies that have examined these shortcomings.
Task 2. Propose a methodology to address the current shortcomings identified in Task 1.
Task 3. Prepare a draft agenda and workplan for the Task 6 workshop that specifies the anticipated workshop activities/outcomes/roles/responsibilities, along with a draft list of potential workshop attendees. At a minimum, the draft workplan should describe how the research team plans to utilize input obtained from workshop participants. While NCHRP will provide meeting space and will arrange panel member travel, the research team is expected to lead all other aspects of the workshop planning and execution.
Task 4. Prepare Interim Report No.1 that documents Tasks 1 through 3 and provides an updated work plan for the remainder of the research. The updated work plan must describe the process and rationale for the work proposed for Phases II and III.
PHASE II – Recommendations Development
Task 5. Make all preparations for a workshop with at least 20 representatives of state and local DOTs, SHSOs, law enforcement agencies, and other public agencies to present a summary of shortcomings (outlined in Phase I) and solicit stakeholder input to inform the preparation of deliverables. At a minimum, workshop preparations shall include issuing invitations to NCHRP-approved participants and preparing a final list of attendees; providing travel support for workshop attendees (other than panel members and NCHRP staff); providing catering services for all participants including panel members; preparing name tags for all participants; and preparing PowerPoint presentations and any handouts.
Task 6. Conduct an in-person workshop, as planned for in Task 5, to present a summary of current shortcomings and solicit stakeholder input to inform the preparation of deliverables.
Task 7. Develop recommendations, based on the approved Interim Report and the information gathered during the Task 6 workshop, to advance the state of the practice for crash reporting to include crashes that do not involve motor vehicles in transportation.
Task 8. Develop a strategic approach to:
A. Improve completeness, consistency, and accuracy of crash data for active transportation users, along with concrete steps that can be taken to improve the current state of the practice; and
B. Account for missing and incomplete data through data integration between data systems.
Task 9. Prepare an annotated outline of the proposed Task 13 practitioners guide.
Task 10. Assess potential advances in crash typing associated with inclusion of crashes that do not involve motor vehicles in transport.
Task 11. Prepare Interim Report No. 2 that documents the results of Tasks 5 through 10 and provides an updated work plan for the remainder of the project. The updated plan must describe the work proposed for Phase III.
PHASE III - Final Products
Task 12. Conduct a follow-up virtual workshop with participants from the Task 6 workshop to share draft findings with a large group of stakeholders, and collect stakeholder feedback for use in finalizing the deliverables.
Task 13. Prepare a practitioner's guide, based on the Task 7 recommendations and Task 8 strategic approach, for (a) identifying and applying nontraditional data sources and (b) using enhanced crash data to inform project selection.
Task 14. Prepare final deliverables including: (1) the practitioners guide; (2) a final report that documents the entire research effort; (3) additional deliverables as proposed by the research agency and approved by NCHRP to support implementation of the Task 7 recommendations and Task 8 strategic approach; and (4) a stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products.”
STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.
