Alabama Uniform Alabama Uniform Traffic Crash ReportTraffic Crash Report

A Newer Approach that A Newer Approach that Promises to Save Time, Effort Promises to Save Time, Effort

and Paperworkand Paperwork

By Matthew Rabiee

Why Change?Why Change?

►Everyone knows police officers hate Everyone knows police officers hate paperwork almost as much as they paperwork almost as much as they love doughnuts.love doughnuts.

►The mountain of paperwork is just one The mountain of paperwork is just one of the reasons any police officer would of the reasons any police officer would be hesitant to change the way they do be hesitant to change the way they do their jobs. their jobs.

►So why go through the added hassle?So why go through the added hassle?

The Risks of ChangeThe Risks of Change

► The police work in a constantly changing and often The police work in a constantly changing and often dangerous environment.dangerous environment.

► Changing a time-tested way of getting the job done Changing a time-tested way of getting the job done could equal headaches, but more importantly, has could equal headaches, but more importantly, has the potential to introduce an additional element of the potential to introduce an additional element of hazard to their work.hazard to their work.

► A standardized form such as an accident report A standardized form such as an accident report requires a great deal of accuracy; the information it requires a great deal of accuracy; the information it contains largely determines responsibility for events contains largely determines responsibility for events that are very costly, and often life-changing.that are very costly, and often life-changing.

The Benefits of ChangeThe Benefits of Change

► A new level of accuracy: An electronic system can A new level of accuracy: An electronic system can offer greater flexibility and a more efficient way to offer greater flexibility and a more efficient way to record the events surrounding an accident.record the events surrounding an accident.

► Simplicity and Convenience: An electronic system is Simplicity and Convenience: An electronic system is not limited by physical constraints like a sheet of not limited by physical constraints like a sheet of paper, so there is less need to cram a mountain of paper, so there is less need to cram a mountain of information on a single page.information on a single page.

► Time, Time, Time: An electronic system can Time, Time, Time: An electronic system can eliminate the redundancy involved in re-writing and eliminate the redundancy involved in re-writing and transferring information.transferring information.

The hardware that makes it The hardware that makes it possiblepossible

Tablet PCs offer computing power comparable to that of a desktop.

The Walkabout is a weather-proof tablet pc. It’s case is made of Magnesium alloy and is built to absorb shock.

The combination of touch screen and stylus pen give added flexibility.

Built-in Wi-Fi support means data can be transferred with security and speed, without the need for wires.

A First Look: Better DesignA First Look: Better Design► An electronic form system can An electronic form system can

out-perform the handwritten out-perform the handwritten reports in many respects.reports in many respects.

► A computer program allows for A computer program allows for information to be organized in information to be organized in a way that is both simple and a way that is both simple and more effective.more effective.

► The software has the ability to The software has the ability to adapt to the preferences and adapt to the preferences and needs of individual officers.needs of individual officers.

► Various categories of error can Various categories of error can be detected as the form is be detected as the form is being filled out, limiting being filled out, limiting revision time and preventing revision time and preventing inaccurate data.inaccurate data.

The start page acts as a gateway to the most vital tasks.

Crash System : Some BasicsCrash System : Some Basics►Pressing the Statistics Pressing the Statistics

button allows the officer button allows the officer to see statistics related to see statistics related to file processing. to file processing.

► Officers or departments Officers or departments may also specify data to may also specify data to aggregate permanently, aggregate permanently, such as alcohol related such as alcohol related accidents or home accidents or home addresses of rude addresses of rude motorists.motorists.

The logout button provides added security from deliberate tampering, as well as unintentionally pressed keys, etc.

Help is always just a click Help is always just a click awayaway

3 Methods to Choose From1) Standard help files, with

contents, search, and index.

2) Run the Active Question Mark, which can be dragged to the problem area for specific help.

3) Finally, pop-up hints can be enabled so that a mouse pause, and/or repeated mistakes will initiate a help dialog.

Create a Report : OverviewCreate a Report : Overview► This page This page

separates the separates the report form into 3 report form into 3 broad categories.broad categories.

► The customize The customize button provides button provides navigation and navigation and menu menu sequence/content sequence/content options. options.

• Example: An officer may want the default action when a report is initiated to be open the driver information form.

Create a Report : Create a Report : InitializationInitialization

A popup prompts the officer to initiate the report by entering case numbers.

After a case is initialized, the saving of fields is handled automatically.

The customize feature allows officers to specify a range of case numbers, similar to what a ticket book has. These fields can then be generated automatically.

Create a Report : Extra Create a Report : Extra ControlsControls

The Field Integrity Check tool box toggles open and shut. This allows it to provide instant information without costing screen space.

An officer can run a check at any time. Empty or incorrectly formatted fields can then be referenced by index number and title.

The Jump to Field Index button opens a concatenated index of all the fields for those who prefer to use one big list.

Extra Tools - ContinuedExtra Tools - Continued► The pen and paper The pen and paper

icon at the bottom icon at the bottom right of menu right of menu screens allows an screens allows an officer to jot notes officer to jot notes with a stylus or with a stylus or onscreen keyboard.onscreen keyboard.

► The notes are then The notes are then associated with the associated with the currently initialized currently initialized report, and report, and automatically saved automatically saved with time and with time and section details.section details.

► The edit button on The edit button on the main page allows the main page allows the notes to be the notes to be reviewed later and reviewed later and applied to the report.applied to the report.

Sample Form Fields: Vehicle Sample Form Fields: Vehicle InformationInformation

► The actual forms The actual forms are further broken are further broken down into sub-down into sub-categories.categories.

► The Driver The Driver Association Box Association Box displays the displays the associated driver’s associated driver’s name. name.

► A pop-up reminder A pop-up reminder is issued if this is issued if this field is left blank field is left blank and the user tries and the user tries to exit.to exit.

Vehicle Information, Vehicle Information, ContinuedContinued

► Each form box Each form box is tabbed, and is tabbed, and can be can be minimized or minimized or maximized to maximized to cover the entire cover the entire screen.screen.

► The drop-down The drop-down boxes provide boxes provide lists for the lists for the relevant field.relevant field.

► They can be They can be customized to customized to act as regular act as regular input boxes if input boxes if the user the user prefers.prefers.

The Customize option also provides a wizard that allows officers to move forms between categories and change category labels which, in short, gives complete control over the organization of the form.

A Brief Example UsageA Brief Example Usage

Officer Lydell logs into his trusty Hammerhead Walkabout and presses the Create a Report button.

He is prompted to enter case Which he does.

Not a moment after this task I is completed, Officer Lydell catches a glimpse in the corner of his eye . . .

His FULL box of doughnuts are being swiped from the dashboard of his cruiser ! ? !

Usage Example, Page 2Usage Example, Page 2► Officer Lydell gives Officer Lydell gives

chase, but to no avail, as chase, but to no avail, as the bandits have a get the bandits have a get away car lying in wait.away car lying in wait.

► His quick-thinking His quick-thinking reminds him to hit the reminds him to hit the pen and paper icon in pen and paper icon in the bottom right corner the bottom right corner of his screen.of his screen.

► He quickly jots out the He quickly jots out the tag and model number, tag and model number, and radios in an APB.and radios in an APB.

► After regaining his After regaining his composure, Officer Lydell composure, Officer Lydell clicks on the Vehicle clicks on the Vehicle Information button and Information button and resumes his crash report.resumes his crash report.

Usage Example – Page 3Usage Example – Page 3

► Officer Lydell Officer Lydell begins by begins by checking the checking the box next to box next to Jimmy Hua’s Jimmy Hua’s name to name to associate this associate this vehicle with vehicle with him.him.

► He then fills the He then fills the rest of the rest of the fields in by fields in by either entering either entering text or text or choosing from choosing from the drop down the drop down boxes.boxes.

Usage Example – Page 4Usage Example – Page 4► A short time later, A short time later,

Officer Lydell has gone Officer Lydell has gone through the rest of the through the rest of the form, and completed his form, and completed his data input.data input.

► To check his accuracy, To check his accuracy, he runs the Field he runs the Field Integrity Check. It Integrity Check. It returns “Fail”. A quick returns “Fail”. A quick click of the Invalid Fields click of the Invalid Fields drops down box shows drops down box shows that there was a that there was a problem with his problem with his initialization, field 1a.initialization, field 1a.

► Officer Lydell clicks the Officer Lydell clicks the index listing and gets index listing and gets the initialization pop-up.the initialization pop-up.

► He unchecks He unchecks Amendment and reruns Amendment and reruns the integrity check.the integrity check.

Usage Example – Page 5Usage Example – Page 5► The Integrity Check now The Integrity Check now

returns a Pass.returns a Pass.► Officer Lydell finishes by Officer Lydell finishes by

clicking the Logout clicking the Logout button.button.

► His report has been His report has been saved, and will be ready saved, and will be ready to upload to station’s to upload to station’s computers at the end of computers at the end of the day.the day.

► This completes a basic This completes a basic usage of The Alabama usage of The Alabama Crash Reporting System.Crash Reporting System.