TR1-1051-300: Traffic Crash Data Quality Improvement Project

1. TR1-1051-300: Traffic Crash Data Quality Improvement Project AbrahamEmmanuel Chicago Department of Transportation

2. Project Goals Improve completeness and accuracy of traffic crash data thru: • Training to police officers on accurate and complete crash reporting on SR1050 • Revised curriculum at the Chicago Police Academy so that recruits from Chicago and suburbs are well trained in crash reporting • Developing standards in crash reporting

3. Crash Data is a Strategic Asset • Almost all roadway improvement decisions are influenced by crash data • Traffic Signals Modernization • Intersection Improvement • Street Widening • Enforcement Efforts • Roadway safety audit • Planning agencies, automobile manufacturers, insurance companies, media, elected officials all use crash data for a variety of planning and operational purposes

4. Crash Data Saves Lives! • Millions of dollars are spent each year to make roadways safer • With limited funds for improvement projects, how do we prioritize the street segments and intersections that needs safety improvement? Representation of intersections crashes on Chicago’s west side. Larger bubbles means more crashes at that intersection

5. Critical Decisions Are Made With Deficient Data Study conducted by CDOT in 2008 showed that 99% of the Chicago traffic crash data contained significant quality issues

6. Three Categories of Errors Contribute to poor Crash Data Quality Incomplete and Inaccurate information on the crash report Keying in errors. Not all records keyed in Inconsistent standards used in developing stats Collection Recording Reporting Focus of this project is the errors in data collection

7. Chicago Crash Data Life Cycle By a Police Officer at the Scene or at the Police Station By a Data Entry Operator at a Central Location By a Statistician or Data Analyst Collection Recording Reporting

8. Data Collection Issues • Crash Report has over 100 fields and many fields have multiple codes that are hard to remember • Fields are left blank or are filled with the wrong code • Officers not well trained on the nuances of crash data collection

9. Data Collection Issues • Cannot determine where the crash occurred and what caused the crash • Report is prepared after the fact. Based on information provided by parties involved, witnesses, and reporting officer’s own assessment

10. Statistics and facts “The government are very keen on amassing statistics. They collect them, add them, raise them to the nth power, take the cube root and prepare wonderful diagrams. But you must never forget that every one of these figures comes in the first instance from the village watchman, who just puts down what he damn pleases.” Sr. Josiah Stamp, President Royal Statistical Society 1930-1932, recalling an anonymous English judge.

11. In an Urban Environment Intersection Crash Count is Key for Safety Improvements

12. How many crashes at the intersection? N Throop St Throop & Jackson 1350 W Jackson Jackson Blvd Van Buren St

13. Not All Crashes Around and Intersection are Intersection Related Crashes N Throop St 100 ft radius 1350 W Jackson Jackson Blvd Van Buren St - Crash reports that said the crash is intersection related

14. For Safety Improvement Decisions Engineers need to know: • Where the crash occurred • What type of crashes are occurring and why • Are there locations that need immediate attention • Are there traffic crashes at a location that can be prevented • What is the result of a crash mitigation effort • What is the general trend in traffic crashes

15. Quality Improvement Efforts Train Police Officers. Focus on Key Fields Standardize Reporting practices Replace Paper Reporting with Electronic Forms Collection Recording Reporting Database

16. Training to Police Officers • Re-train officers and supervisors • Train the Trainers at the Police Academy • Revise the 16-Hour training curriculum at the Academy • Develop online training modules • New directives to officers • Brochures and quick reference guides Crash Reporting Training at the Chicago Police Academy, August 2009

17. Multi Year Effort • Focus on a small number of key fields first • Engage experts in helping with the training • Draw attention to the significance of crash data • Identify police districts or officers consistently making errors • Evaluate before and after crash data to determine the impact of training

18. 10 Key Fields • Crash Type (Angle, Rear End, Pedestrian, etc.) • Injury (K, A, B, C, O) • Unit Type (Driver, Pedestrian, etc.) • Intersection Related • At Intersection • Date of Crash • Crash Location • RD Number • Direction of Travel (Unit1 and Unit2) • Vehicle Maneuver Prior (Unit1 and Unit2) Online Training Supplement Pocket Insert/Tri-fold, Fall 2010

19. Progress to Date • Completed 2 years of classroom and online training • Courses taken by over 10,000 Chicago police officers • Distributed tip cards to all Chicago Police officers • Posters at Police District offices to emphasize the value of crash data in safety improvements • New directive to fill in all relevant fields and include crash diagram for all crash reports

20. Action Plan for Next Year • Create additional quick-reference tools for traffic crash reporting • Deliver roll call training to police officers • Develop additional online training to address any new reporting concerns • Offer online training opportunities to officers in other police departments across the State • Produce training videos that explain best practices in traffic crash reporting

21. Questions? Contact Info: Abraham Emmanuel Chicago Department of Transportation aemmanuel@cityofchicago.org (312) 742-1362 Jon Patterson Chicago Police Education & Training Academy Jon.patterson@chicagopolice.org