HSIS Summary Report
David L. Harkey
Feb-99
Many States and municipalities use computerized crash analysis systems to identify problem locations and assess the effectiveness of implemented countermeasures. By integrating this traditional system with a GIS, which offers spatial referencing capabilities and graphical displays, a more effective crash analysis program can be realized. The objective of this effort was to develop a crash referencing and analysis system within a GIS. The HSIS data bases incorporated into the system included the crash and roadway files for Wake County, North Carolina. Other, non-HSIS data bases were also used. This system is designed to support three principal functions: file/report management, crash location editing, and data analysis. The analysis tools include five separate programs to evaluate crashes at designated spots or intersections, along specific roadway segments or strips, clustered around a specific feature, or within a defined corridor. The advantages of this GIS-based system include the ability to more accurately report crashes and roadway features, conduct corridor analyses by automatically linking adjacent or nearby routes, and produce presentation graphics within the software
GIS-Based Crash Referencing and Analysis System
GIS
geographic information system
crash analysis
crash referencing
HSIS Summary Reports are two to eight pages in length and include a brief description of the issue addressed, data used, methodology applied, significant results, and practical implications.
A variety of research studies have been performed using data from HSIS. Many of the final reports prepared are now available electronically.
Research reports are often summarized in executive summaries, technical briefs, or other abbreviated formats. Included here are those road safety summaries that involved research using HSIS data.
In addition to conducting research, HSIS resources are also used to develop products that can be used by practitioners in the analysis of safety problems.
HSIS data are sometimes used in research studies that result in other types of finished products, such as dissertations, theses, and conference proceedings.
