Development and evaluation of a web-based software for crash data collection, processing and analysis

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2019-09, Vol.130, p.108-116
• Main Authors: Montella, Alfonso, Chiaradonna, Salvatore, Criscuolo, Giorgio, De Martino, Salvatore
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crash data; Crash dynamics; Data analysis; Data collection; Highway safety; Web-based software
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2017.01.013

•A web-based software for crash data collection, processing and analysis is presented.•The software is designed for mobile and desktop electronic devices.•Crash data before and after the use of the software in the city of Vico Equense, Italy were compared.•The time saving was more than one hour per crash, i.e., a 36% reduction.•The most valuable benefit was the reduction of the police officers mistakes. First step of the development of an effective safety management system is to create reliable crash databases since the quality of decision making in road safety depends on the quality of the data on which decisions are based. Improving crash data is a worldwide priority, as highlighted in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety adopted by the United Nations, which recognizes that the overall goal of the plan will be attained improving the quality of data collection at the national, regional and global levels. Crash databases provide the basic information for effective highway safety efforts at any level of government, but lack of uniformity among countries and among the different jurisdictions in the same country is observed. Several existing databases show significant drawbacks which hinder their effective use for safety analysis and improvement. Furthermore, modern technologies offer great potential for significant improvements of existing methods and procedures for crash data collection, processing and analysis. To address these issues, in this paper we present the development and evaluation of a web-based platform-independent software for crash data collection, processing and analysis. The software is designed for mobile and desktop electronic devices and enables a guided and automated drafting of the crash report, assisting police officers both on-site and in the office. The software development was based both on the detailed critical review of existing Australasian, EU, and U.S. crash databases and software as well as on the continuous consultation with the stakeholders. The evaluation was carried out comparing the completeness, timeliness, and accuracy of crash data before and after the use of the software in the city of Vico Equense, in south of Italy showing significant advantages. The amount of collected information increased from 82 variables to 268 variables, i.e., a 227% increase. The time saving was more than one hour per crash, i.e., a 36% reduction. The on-site data collection did not produce time saving, however this is a t