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. 

STATUS: Research underway.