Last summer, WABA submitted a paper to Mayor Bowser about how better crash data can help achieve the goals of Vision Zero (or perhaps are critical to that goal).
We recommend that the District take the following actions, discussed in more detail in this paper:
- Update the MPD’s crash intake form to better align with national minimum standards so that the circumstances of a crash are captured accurately at the scene of the crash;
- Integrate crash data with medical data so that the physical outcomes of people injured in a crash are reflected in the record of the crash; and
- Disclose crash data automatically, in a timely and intuitive manner.
This modernization process will help the District accomplish many of the goals of Vision Zero by:
- Identifying high priority streets, intersections and neighborhoods for safety improvements;
- Analyzing the effects of street design features;
- Creating more accurate benchmarks for measuring the District’s Vision Zero performance over time;
- Enabling public health practitioners to develop a greater understanding of the relationship between crash variables and medical outcomes; and
- Promoting transparency and ensuring the public’s ready access to important safety information.
The paper, available at WABA's website, goes on to expand on each of these ideas.
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