Event Data Recorder Applications for Highway and Traffic Safety: Using EDR Safety Data

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The Use of EDR SAFETY Data

Event Data Recorder (EDR) technologies can serve as a catalyst towards using emerging transportation safety technologies. EDRs will accelerate deployment of driver-assisted technologies, collision avoidance systems, vehicle diagnostic systems and advanced medical response capabilities.

EDR related technologies include retrieving, gathering, and storing objective data which may improve highway efficiency, mobility, productivity and environmental quality by providing compelling evidence of the types of crashes, the role of human error, systems engineering and systems integration issues.

The overall objective of EDR data is to increase the SAFETY of our highway transportation system.
The objective use of EDR data may improve vehicle systems.
The objective use of EDR data may improve highway systems.
EDR data may aid in regulatory initiatives.
EDR data may aid in alleged defect investigations.
EDR data may aid in litigation cases.
EDR data may aid law enforcement efforts.
EDR data may help gather accurate statistics (i.e. seat belt usage).
EDR data may help identify conditions and situations where additional safety devices could be used.
EDR data may provide a better understanding of how a driver responds to a crash (precrash not during or after the crash).
EDR data may provide a better understanding of how occupants in various positions respond.
EDR data may provide a better understanding of overall vehicle behavior in a crash and lead to improved safety.

Customers for EDR Data
Manufacturers	Vehicle manufacturers indicated they were typically installing EDRs to collect data to improve the design of motor vehicles and diagnose vehicle systems.
Government	The government users fell into several levels of government -- the federal level, state level, and other local users. The WG observed that the federal role included uses of EDR data to carry out its mission: to save lives, reduce injuries, and property loss. This could include collecting data to assist in a better safety management system for the highway and traffic systems. The federal government could also utilize these data to assess safety problems and solutions for issuing new and revised vehicle safety performance standards. At the state level, crash data could be used to assist states in managing road systems and designing better roadside safety hardware, such as guardrails and crash cushions. These groups are very interested in collecting crash location information that would vastly improve their ability to improve roadside safety. At the local level, EDR data could be used to assist medical EMS control, especially if EDR data could be automatically dispatched from the crashed vehicle to the PSAP center as well as other affected parties. EDR data would help the local authorities assign the "right" response teams early in the event. The WG felt it was the governments' role to lay a foundation to cooperatively use these data.
Law Enforcement	These users would benefit greatly from obtaining quick and impartial information regarding the crash. They are often charged with determining the facts associated with a crash, and these data would give them additional tools to validate field collision data, determine crash causation, and fraud.
Insurance Companies	Insurance companies often analyze a collision claim for validity prior to paying the claim. EDR data will allow these customers of EDR data to obtain more accurate data related to the crash.
Plaintiffs, Defense Attorneys, Judges, Juries, Courts, and Prosecutors	This group of users often obtain costly experts in the field of crash reconstruction to assist them in proving their position. The use of EDR data will put more "science" on the table during these actions and could lead to shorter actions or no action altogether. Juries would get objective information, too. Courts could require vehicles be equipped with recording devices.
Human Factors Research	Human factor researchers are continuously looking for more data to understand the human's involvement associated with crash causation. Pre-crash EDR data could be used by these researchers to understand driver performance and conduct further analysis of this complicated issue in an in situ environment.
State Insurance Commissioners	Insurance officials could use EDR data to support decisions regarding insurance rates, such as, approving discounts for owners who pre-agree to release EDR data should a crash occur.
Parent Groups	These customers, such as MADD and other parent groups, could use EDR data to support trends in crashes.
Fleets & Drivers	These devices could be used by drivers/fleet owners in many ways, including: improving driver safety, educating drivers about technology on vehicles, auto-downloading data for driver use, providing information vehicle safety characteristics (data element related), and providing information regarding the general performance of vehicle. Another primary use of EDR data by the driver/owner could be the use of the data to demonstrate their proper vehicle operation during a collision.
Medical Injury Guideline Data Usage	Hospital officials, EMS providers, and other EMS decision makers could use EDR data to improve field triage decisions. These data could be used to trigger a series of events which would ensure that the "right" help got to the crash and ER staff to look for non-visible injuries. While more related to ACN, these new methodologies could save lives.
Vehicle Owner	The vehicle owner could review EDR data to determine if the vehicle had been in a previous crash. These data would indicate the severity of the crash, which may relate to the level of repairs the vehicle had undergone during its life.
Transportation Researchers & Academics	Transportation researchers could use EDR data to conduct research related to vehicles, highway, medical treatments, etc.

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