indiana crash form redesign and system changes international traffic records forum july 2003 robert...

Indiana Crash Form Redesign and

System Changes International Traffic Records

Forum July 2003Robert C. Zahnke

Background

Indiana’s crash form – last modified in the early 1980s

Indiana’s crash records system – antiquated IBM mainframe technology

Indiana State Police – repository for crash records

18 – 20 months in arrears – manual data entry

Indiana Facts

220,000 annual crashes50,000 personal injury crashes800 fatal crashes (1.2 fatalities/MVMT)

650 + law enforcement agencies3 types of agencies

Indiana Crash Forms

Standard officers’ crash form Truck & Bus supplemental form SR-21 (proof of insurance)

The Early Years 1998

Formation of the State steering committee Stormed/shot down [wounded but not dead] Prioritize

1999 Crash form

Content Combining forms MMUCC

Crash location Mainframe issues

1999 Evaluations

Crash location Demonstration project

using 3 counties $50,250 funding Evaluated test results

against existing system

Crash form changes Purely content

changes “it will cost $1 million

to change report” Evaluation funding

The Results

Crash location Existing system 4 – 6

percent error rate Existing system failed

to locate a number of crashes

Substantial time savings

Crash form The “$1 million”

became less than $100,000…

The “Former” Crash Form

Two-page form Overlay guide

The Crash Form Transformation

Focus - content & eliminating the supplemental form

Piloted/solicited feedback Revised it Piloted it again The “Kentucky” form

The Transformation (2001)…

“Bubble” entry format Size as an issue

2 page report now became 4 pages

Benefits “B+” Records Division “B+” Content “D-” Officer

Field Test Results…

Field tested Modified Field tested Guidelines for officers prepared Train-the-trainer

New Crash Form

Introduced in March 2002 Paper only, no electronic format Available in pdf format, no edit checks Eliminated the need for a supplemental

report Limited input from road officers

Where is Indiana in 2003?

“New” form – revisedAddressed the officers’ concerns

Flow of the form Number of drivers Number of injured

Electronic crash form

Processing the Crash Form

High speed scanningFiles an imageRecognizes the “bubbles”Provides the mechanism for high speed data

entry Provides the input for crash location Automatically locating 75 – 80% of the crashes

What Lies Ahead?

2003Transition to “new” formAccept electronic form Enter backlog of “old” crash formsEnter backlog of new crash formsGIS locating 2001 – 2002 crashes

Beyond 2003

2004Back end queries – local through statewide

levelAddress the SR-21 – shifted the burden

Data Analysis Perspective

3 additional years of crash data within the next 9 months

Both 2002 and 2003 will each have 2 different crash forms (variables)

Ability to conduct “real-time” data evaluations

In Retrospect…

Take it in small bites Let the data sell the project Use demo/pilot projects Recognize “players/objectives”

Officers Data content Data processing/entry Back end (what’s going to happen to the data?)

Who Made It Happen in Indiana?

Traffic Records Steering Committee State agency leadership Indiana Criminal Justice Institute Indiana Department of Transportation Indiana State Police, Sheriffs, Municipal

Officers The “right” contractor

Funding

FundingNHTSA/Indiana Criminal Justice InstituteDOT/Indiana Department of Transportation

Further information Robert C. Zahnke Purdue University rzahnke@ecn.purdue.edu (765) 496-3716