Nebraska Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES)

1. Commercial Motor Vehicle Crashes in Nebraska, 1996-1999 Nebraska Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) Dan Christensen Ming Qu Prabhakar Dhungana Nebraska Health and Human Services System

2. Definition • CODES DBS: a database resulting from linking motor vehicle crash records (Crash), Emergency Medical Services records (EMS), Hospital Discharge records (HDD) and Death Certificates.

3. Definition (cont’d) • A Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV): Any truck having at least 2 axles and 6 tires, any vehicle displaying a hazardous materials placard, or any bus designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver • Current: A CMV is designated as any vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds, and/or designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver.

4. Definition (Con’d) • Large Truck: Any truck having a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds. • Passenger Vehicle: Any passenger car, light truck, or van weighing 10,000 pounds or less.

5. Introduction • More than 5,000 deaths occur each year in CMV crashes, accounting for about 13% of all the traffic deaths in the U.S. • Another 142, 000 people were injured in crashes involving CMVs in 1999 • In 1999, the estimated average cost for CMV crashes was more than $75,000 • Reducing CMV crashes is a national highway safety priority

6. Purpose • To understand the pattern and nature of crashes involving CMVs in Nebraska • To establish a baseline for CMV crashes surveillance in Nebraska

7. Method • Descriptive analysis using four years of Nebraska CODES data (1996 to 1999) • Compare injury severity, hospital charges, and various pre-crash factors between crashes involving CMVs and crashes not involving CMVs • Examine the differences in demographics and behaviors of drivers for two-vehicle crashes (one CMV and one passenger vehicle)

8. Results • Of the 170,669 motor vehicle crashes that occurred from 1996 to 1999 in Nebraska, 10,939 (6.4%) involved CMVs. • These CMVs involved-crashes accounted for: • 6.0% (26,867) of all persons involved in crashes • 6.1% (4,140) of all crash injuries • 18.4% (225) of all crash deaths • 9.9% ($7,907,361) of all motor vehicle crash related hospital charges

12. Table 3

13. Map 1 N=8,200

17. Figure 6

18. PDO Injury Fatal

19. Figure 8

21. Conclusions • Crashes involving CMVs tended to be severe • PV occupants were more likely to be injured or killed when involved in crashes with CMVs • PV Drivers were more likely responsible for crashes involving CMVs • CMV drivers were found to be impaired much less often than PV drivers in both injury and fatal crashes

22. Recommendations • Vehicle Modifications • Modify the structure of CMVs to make them less likely to inflict injuries in collisions with other vehicles • Make trucks more visible during night • Improve truck braking system

23. Enforcement • Improve enforcement of existing laws against unsafe driving acts in the vicinity of CMVs. • Enforcing following distance and vehicle speed

24. Education and Training • Increase passenger driver education about the differences between the performance of CMVs and passenger vehicles. • Increase CMV driver education about passenger vehicle driver behaviors • Develop CMV drivers training programs focused on defensive driving technique based on PV drivers’ unsafe driving habit. • Train law enforcement officers about the hazards of unsafe driving acts in the vicinity of CMVs.

25. Acknowledgement • NHTSA • Nebraska Office of Highway Safety • Nebraska CODES Advisory Committee