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Maine Crash Reporting System (MCRS)

Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Highway Safety

Planned Cost:          $63,800.00 (Map Interface Module, SafetyNet Export, Interagency Interface) 

Project Goal:           To establish a means by which collection, management, and use of highway safety information from crash reports could be coordinated among all organizations at all jurisdiction levels with responsibility for highway transportation policy. To establish and promote technical standards for characteristics of highway safety information systems that are critical to the development and management of highway transportation safety programs and policies.

 Strategic Plan:      Yes. The statewide electronic crash reporting system provides an accurate Crash Data Location Identification, and Traffic Records System Interface and Data Sharing among all agencies responsible for highway safety. The Mapping/Crash Location Identification Module budget was $28,800.00, the SafetyNet Export Module budget was $20,000.00, and the Interagency Interfaces budget was $15,000.00.  The total budget for these enhancements to the state crash reporting system is $63,800.00

Project Benefits

1)     Map Interface for Crash Location that is based on the State Roadway Network System - Accurate Crash Location.

2)     User Friendly System Interface - An interactive map location that zoomed to the town level, and to exact location - More active use of the application by law enforcement officers.

3)     Data Export and Import using xml schema that promotes ease data exchange among other Traffic Records System, i.e., SafetyNet Export Module automated the process of exporting Commercial Related Crashes from the State Repository for import directly into the SafetyNet Program - Eliminate double entry of crash data into SafetyNet, save resource cost and time, provide timely processing of commercial related crash data.

4)     Interagency Interfaces promote the use of crash data by all responsible highway safety agencies in the state - Promote interface to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles that led to the discussion of eliminating the Motorist report in the state. Provide a means for the Maine Department of Transportation to get access to crash data for their own use and modifications while maintaining the integrity of the data as submitted by the law enforcement agencies.

Narrative:

The Scope of this project is to provide for a timely collection, use, and management of highway safety data, while promoting the integration of highway safety systems and the development of highway safety programs. Through this project, the state has managed to design, develop and deploy a statewide electronic crash reporting system. Over 80% of the state crashes are now reported electronically to the state crash repository. For the first time the state can now receive a crash report within 24hours of occurrence. In addition to the data collection module, the state has developed, and enhanced the application with the addition of the Mapping Module for crash location, the inclusion of digital image capture, drawing tool, as well as a bar code reader for data input. The state also provided both subsidized hardware (laptops) and training to law enforcement agencies and officers. The state also adopted the use of an xml standard for data exchange between the local system and the state crash repository. Electronic programs were developed for data transfer from the local to the state which require no or little intervention from the local enforcement agencies. The state provided tools that promote electronic data transfer from the police cruiser to the agency. Provides data export from the state system to local system that required the data to update their in-house system, thereby eliminating double entry at the local level. The state TRCC and TREC working together defined other agency interfaces to the state crash repository. Memorandum of understanding were developed and all responsible highway agencies in the state now have a defined process for accessing and use of crash data in the state. Finally the state designed and continues to develop Reporting Tools for both the local law enforcement agencies and for the state use. These Reporting Tools included pre-defined standard reports, as well as an ad-hoc report generator for the more advanced users of the data.

Major Processes:

1) System Requirements Analysis

2) Data Collection Module Design, Development, and Field Testing

3) Data Collection Module User Training

4) Design and develop Local Agency System

5) System Administration Training (Statewide)

6) Design and develop the State Repository System

7) Design and Develop System Communication Modules (Data Transfer from local to state and from Law Enforcement Cruiser to Agency)

8) System Testing

9) Continue System Training

10) System Installation and Deployment

11) Help Desk and System Support

12) System Enhancements (Mapping, SafetyNet Export, E-mail Processing, Reporting Tools)

13) System Interfaces - On-going (MDOT, BMV, Court, and Public)

Major Benefits:

1) Accurate Crash Location Identification - Map Capability and Crash Location Wizard.

2) Accurate, Timely collection of crash data - Electronic submission of crashes throughout the state - Crash Data Collection Module with built-in validation and error checking routines. Crashes are submitted within 24hrs of occurrence.

3) Data Export and Import using xml - promote data exchange between the local system and the state crash repository.

4) Promotes interface to other traffic records systems in the state, eliminating double entry of data.