PR Strategic Highway Safety Plan SHSP Literature Review - An Assessment of PR Highway Safety Plans & Procedures Working Together Toward Highway Safety... To Save More Lives April 2014 CSA Architects and Engineers, LLP 1064 Ponce de Leon Ave. | CSA Plaza | Suite 500 San Juan, PR 00907-374 T: 787.641.6800 x 238 | F: 787.641.6850 Submitted to: Samuel Forestier Castillo, PE Traffic Engineering and Operations Area Director PRHTA PO Box 42007 San Juan PR 00940 – 2007 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Executive Summary The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) establishes priorities to the Departments of Transportation in the nation to reduce crashes along the entire highway system. Per MAP-21, States and Territories shall prepare a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) with the objective of reducing fatalities and serious injuries on their respective highway systems. The SHSP shall be a data driven planning document that integrates multiple safety stakeholders from governmental agencies, private entities and non-profit organizations. In addition, it is specified that the SHSP shall be coordinated and/or synchronized with other safety related plans independently prepared by the various governmental agencies in Puerto Rico. As such, it is important to assess the current Safety Plans developed for Puerto Rico, as well as crash databases and other tools used by the public sector agencies in developing their respective Safety Plans. Furthermore, the Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority (PRHTA) will use several crash databases for analyzing the trends and statistics related to crashes in Puerto Rico. Hence, it is of upmost importance to understand the limitations in the data gathering process and the tools employed to retrieve said information. This report, prepared as part of the SHSP development process, provides the Puerto Rico current practice in highway safety planning, crash data gathering and management. The Highway Safety Literature Review included the following documents/references: Interim SHSP for Puerto Rico 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Highway Safety Plan Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Plan Fatal Analysis Reporting System PRHTA Crash Database and Crash Analysis Reporting Environment (CARE) System Automobile Accident Compensation Administration Citation Data GIS Data Behavioral Survey (DUI and Seatbelt) Police Accident Reports The preparation of a SHSP creates an opportunity for integrating the transportation plans, more specifically in relation to safety initiatives/strategies. Each planning document evaluated follows a unique format in terms of goal definition, strategies, emphasis areas, metrics, and years of execution. The SHSP initiative provides an unprecedented opportunity to set guidelines at the State level to unify and align these parameters. Another important element to consider is the integration of technology in the data gathering/management processes. The data gathering process may benefit from GPS and other electronic tools that facilitate the location of crashes and the flow of information without the need for additional manual data entry. The use of technology and personnel training will help to achieve an integrated and complete database between the primarily responsible governmental agencies. Hence, having a more efficient, reliable and accurate crash information system is essential for crash analysis. i i PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Although Emergency Medical Services (part of the 4 Es) is considered a cornerstone in achieving a significant reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes, in Puerto Rico the active participation and integration of EMS in the area of transportation planning is limited. One main objective for the SHSP shall be to incorporate specific strategies and coordination with EMS representatives. Finally, the PRHTA is executing an aggressive highway safety improvement program (HSIP). Currently, the agency has allocated 25% of FHWA funds for highway safety improvements projects. The PRHTA shall consider the use of a comprehensive Islandwide approach in selecting safety improvement projects based on the KABCO severity index classification system and incremental benefit cost analysis. The selection of hot spots/corridors will be facilitated with the use of GIS technology for accurately identifying the location of crashes. Puerto Rico shall also consider creating its own Crash Modification Factor (CMF) database. i i ii PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review List of Acronyms/Abbreviations AADT ACAA AAO BAC CAPS CARE CU DTPW DUI F+I FARS FMCSA GIS GPS HPMS KM MCSAP MIRE MMUCC NHTSA PAR PDO PR PRPD PRTSC PRHTA RSA LRTP STIP CVSP HSP TMCQ i i Average Annual Daily Traffic Automobile Accident Compensation Administration (in Spanish) Accident Analysis Office Blood Alcohol Content Center for Advanced Public Safety Critical Analysis Reporting Environment Causing Unit Department of Transportation and Public Works Driving Under the Influence Fatal and Injury Fatality Analysis Reporting System Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Geographic Information System Global Positioning System Highway Performance Monitoring System Kilometer Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Model Inventory of Roadway Elements Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Police Accident Record Property Damage Only Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Police Department Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority Road Safety Audit Long Range Transportation Plan Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan Highway Safety Plan TMC Qualitative iii PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Table of Contents Executive Summary........................................................................................................................................ i List of Acronyms/Abbreviation .................................................................................................................... iii 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 2. PR Transportation Plans ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.1.Interim Strategic Highway Safety Plan for Puerto Rico .................................................................... 3 2.2.Highway Safety Plan from the PRTSC ............................................................................................... 6 2.3.Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)............................................................... 11 2.4.Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan from the Public Service Commission .......................................... 13 2.5.Long Range Transportation Plan (2040) ......................................................................................... 15 2.6.Findings and Recommendations .................................................................................................... 17 3. Crash Databases .................................................................................................................................. 20 3.1.Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) ........................................................................................ 21 3.2.PRHTA Crash Database and CARE System ...................................................................................... 21 3.3.Automobile Accident Compensation Administration (ACAA) ........................................................ 29 3.4.Traffic Citation Data ....................................................................................................................... 29 3.5.GIS Data .......................................................................................................................................... 31 3.6.Findings and Recommendations .................................................................................................... 31 3.6.1.Data Limitation ..................................................................................................................... 31 3.6.2.Opportunities for Improvement ........................................................................................... 32 4. Behavioral Surveys .............................................................................................................................. 33 4.1.DUI Survey ...................................................................................................................................... 33 4.2.Use of Seatbelt Survey ................................................................................................................... 33 4.3.Findings and Recommendations .................................................................................................... 34 5. Data Gathering Tools .......................................................................................................................... 34 5.1.Police Report .................................................................................................................................. 34 5.1.1.Format................................................................................................................................... 34 5.2.Data Entry Process.......................................................................................................................... 35 5.2.1.Selection of Applicable Crashes ............................................................................................ 35 5.2.2.Zoning (Location by Maps or Kilometers) ............................................................................. 35 5.2.3.Codification ........................................................................................................................... 36 5.2.4.Data Entry ............................................................................................................................. 36 5.3.Opportunities to Automate or Improve Process ............................................................................ 37 i i ii PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 5.3.1.Use of GIS .............................................................................................................................. 37 5.3.2.Use of Tablets ....................................................................................................................... 37 5.3.3.Others ................................................................................................................................... 38 5.4.Findings and Recommendations to Update Processes and Tools .................................................. 38 i i 6. Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................... 40 7. References .......................................................................................................................................... 41 iii PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 1. Introduction This report was prepared as part of the requirements for the development of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) for Puerto Rico. The PRHTA’s approach to develop the SHSP for Puerto Rico consists of a data gathering and analysis phase followed by an interactive/participative Safety Summit with the objective of receiving ideas/strategies to reduce fatal and serious accidents on our highway system. The figure below depicts the events that will take place for the preparation of the SHSP. Data Gathering Case Studies Highway Safety Literature Review Stakeholder’s Survey Analysis of Crash Data to Identify Trends and Preliminary Emphasis Areas Data Analysis / Preselection of Emphasis Areas Pre-Safety Summit Work Pre-Selection of Emphasis Areas Strategies Development / Analysis Implementation Planning & Documentation Prepare Package for PR Safety Summit Safety Summit Report PR Safety Summit Work Session (Strategies) Safety Summit Strategies, Goals & Metric Discussion SHSP Preparation PR SHSP Report Due on August 2014 PR SHSP Preparation The Highway Safety Literature Review report (highlighted in the figure above) is part of the data gathering phase, taking place prior to the Safety Summit. The purpose of the report is to present the local practice in terms of transportation safety planning, crash databases, and the tools for gathering and analyzing crash information. Per the requirements of Moving Ahead for Progress for the 21st Century (MAP-21), the SHSP shall be a data driven planning document that integrates multiple safety stakeholders. In addition, the SHSP shall be coordinated and/or synchronized with other safety related plans prepared by Government Agencies of Puerto Rico. As such, it is important to assess the current Safety Plans developed for Puerto Rico, as well as crash databases and other tools used by the governmental agencies in developing their Safety Plans. For the SHSP development, the PRHTA will use several crash databases. Hence, it is of the upmost importance to understand the scope of the available information reviewed and the tools employed to retrieve said information. 1 1 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review As part of the review effort, several documents, databases, and tools were reviewed. The documents fall within the following three (3) categories: Transportation Plans Traffic Records (Including Crash Databases and Processing Platforms) Data Collection/Processing/tools The transportation plans include those safety/programming plans already prepared by Puerto Rico in compliance with Federal requirements. Among the transportation plans we have the Interim Strategic Highway Safety Plan (Interim SHSP), developed by the Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority (PRHTA) in 2013; the PR Highway Safety Plan, prepared by the Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission for 2014; the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP); the Statewide Transportation Plan (STIP) and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP), prepared by the Public Service Commission. In terms of the databases, this report evaluates the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the crash database from the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), the use of the Critical Analysis Reporting Environment (CARE) system, the Automobile Accident Compensation Administration (ACAA by its acronyms in Spanish), traffic citation data and the GIS information available. This report focused on the most immediate needs for the upcoming Safety Summit. However, future analyses will include other traffic records important for the SHSP development and implementation. Finally, the data collection/processing included the evaluation of the form used by the PR Police Department to report on crashes, and the process/tools used for data entry into the databases. For each of the categories, a summary of the findings, limitations and potential areas for improvement are presented. 2 2 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 2. PR Transportation Plans A SHSP is a major component and requirement of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) (23 U.S.C. § 148). It is a coordinated safety plan that provides a comprehensive framework for reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. The SHSP will identify Puerto Rico's key safety needs and guide investment decisions toward strategies and countermeasures with the greatest potential to save lives and prevent injuries. Per FHWA recommendations, it is a priority to include safety initiatives/projects as part of all transportation plans. The figure below shows how the SHSP integrates the Long term plans (i.e., Metropolitan Transportation Plans and the LRTP) with the midterm safety plans (i.e., CMVSP, HSP and other local plans) and short term project execution of safety projects included in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as part of the HSIP. Metropolitan Transportation Plans (Urbanized Areas) Islandwide Long Range Transportation Plan (UAs & Rural) Other Local Plans Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – Urbanized Areas Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Plan (CMVSP) Highway Safety Plan (HSP) Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) This section includes a review of the Interim SHSP, the HSP, the STIP, the CMVSP and the current LRTP. It presents a description of the emphasis areas, strategies, goals, and actions from each plan. 2.1. Interim Strategic Highway Safety Plan for Puerto Rico The PRHTA, in a joint effort with the PRTSC and the DTPW, published an Interim SHSP in 2013 (Submitted to FHWA on April 18, 2013). The Interim SHSP defines four (4) Emphasis Areas: Traffic Crash Records and Information Systems Roadway Departure Pedestrian and Cyclists Driver Behavior The Interim SHSP was developed by the Interim SHSP Steering Committee, composed of the PRHTA, PRTSC, FHWA and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) key safety personnel. The Interim SHSP presents the Puerto Rico 3 3 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review crash trends in terms of fatalities and injuries. However, the detailed information shown is for fatalities from FARS. The table below depicts the traffic crash trends (from PRTSC and NHTSA). Category 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Number of Fatalities 452 406 365 340 361 Number of Serious Injuries Fatalities per 100 Million VMT No. of Roadway Departures Fatalities No. of Pedestrian Fatalities No. of Speeding-Related Fatalities No. of Alcohol Related Fatalities 41,341 38,448 36,965 35,530 35,533 2.35 2.08 1.92 1.83 1.96 160 126 129 132 129 144 127 109 101 111 228 162 156 135 138 193 172 138 110 103 For each Emphasis Area, the Interim SHSP presents background information (including statistical data), objectives and the strategies. Among the strategies for each of the Emphasis Areas, the interim SHSP includes: Emphasis Area Traffic Crash Records and Information Systems Roadway Departure 4 Strategies 1. Reduce the backlog of motor vehicle crash data from five years to less than one year. 2. Support the implementation of the new PAR that updates all the crash data fields including the commercial motor vehicle data fields. 3. Train traffic law enforcement agencies on how to collect complete and accurate crash data that supports the new PAR. 4. Provide direct access to crash data reports and information to stakeholders. 5. Acquire a user-friendly data analysis software tool. 6. Continue the program of kilometer and hectometer marker installations on all State Roads so that crashes can be located for analysis purposes. 1. Upgrade guardrail systems, crash cushions and concrete barrier installations to NCHRP 350 standards. 2. Install, replace or enhance pavement markings, signing and delineation in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Highways and Streets (MUTCD). 3. Remove, relocate, or protect trees and utility poles located within the clear zone of high crash locations or roadways with common characteristics where 4 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Emphasis Area Pedestrian and Cyclists Driver Behavior 5 Strategies these crashes occur. 4. Install rumble strips on high speed, rural, or high crash locations. 5. Educate transportation professionals on new and innovative roadway departure countermeasures. 6. Enhance targeted enforcement activities on high speed, rural, or high crash corridors. 7. Pilot innovative engineering countermeasures targeting roadway departure crashes. 8. Revise islandwide roadside safety standard drawings and specifications to include new and innovative roadway departure countermeasures. 9. Provide the necessary tools to improve performance of EMS and first responders to crash incidents. 1. Provide assistance to communities for developing and implementing local pedestrian safety improvement projects. 2. Educate all road users about Puerto Rico Vehicle and Traffic Law (Law # 22) and recent amendments. 3. Enhance police department’s enforcement of existing traffic regulations, particularly at high risk locations. 4. Provide training to police officers on the rights and duties of cyclists and pedestrians. 5. Evaluate provisions for incorporating ped/bike facilities on all new road construction or reconstruction, and rehabilitation projects. 6. Implement traffic calming measures in high-volume pedestrian areas. 7. Implement targeted “Share the Road” and Pedestrian Awareness campaign to provide information and enhance awareness to all road users. 8. Support the implementation of the Complete Streets concept in highway design. 1. Develop and implement driver behavior educational media campaigns focused on speeding, impaired and distracted driving. 2. Support the development of a program of surveys to help measure the effectiveness of the driver behavior strategies. 3. Support the acquisition of speed radar, equipment, and vehicle maintenance activities to law enforcement agencies to increase police enforcement. 4. Support sustained and high-visibility traffic law enforcement strategies and activities, tailored to high risk drivers and locations. 5. Support the development of educational and training programs for traffic law enforcement and first responder agencies on crash site and incident investigations including commercial motor vehicles to work with the scenes caused by driver behavior related crashes. 6. Pilot innovative and/or proven engineering countermeasures targeting driver 5 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Emphasis Area Strategies behavior. 7. Support the enhancement of the judicial and prosecution training program on enforcement of traffic laws, crash and traffic incident investigations. The Interim SHSP is a first successful step towards the development of a more participative and collaborative planning document. One of the limitations of the Interim SHSP is that only FARS data was used and there was no opportunity for a broader range of safety stakeholders to collaborate in developing strategies and recommendations resulting in common islandwide safety goals and priorities. However, the implementation of the SHSP will result in a more efficient and integrated way to reduce fatalities and serious injuries. 2.2. Highway Safety Plan from the PRTSC Highway Safety Plans (HSPs) address behavioral safety areas (e.g., occupant protection, impaired driving, police traffic services, emergency medical services, motorcycle safety, etc). It is a requirement of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA, under the U.S. Department of Transportation, was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 as the successor to the National Highway Safety Bureau, to carry out safety programs under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety Act of 1966. The Vehicle Safety Act has subsequently been re-codified under Title 49 of the U. S. Code in Chapter 301, Motor Vehicle Safety. NHTSA also carries out consumer programs established by the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act of 1972, which has been re-codified in various Chapters under Title 49. NHTSA requires that Puerto Rico prepare the HSP and that the before-mentioned plan shall be synchronized with the SHSP (i.e., in agreement, in terms of Emphasis Areas, strategies, performance measures and goals). In Puerto Rico, the HSP is prepared by the PRTSC. These activities are coordinated with the Puerto Rico Police Department as the primary law enforcement agency. The PRTSC provides training and many other activities designed to reduce motor vehicle crash-related injuries and fatalities. The HSP included a problem identification analysis, several emphasis areas and goals, as depicted in the following section. Puerto Rico’s Problem Identification There are 16,694 roadway miles in Puerto Rico and in 2011 there were 3,619,499 licensed drivers and 3,084,543 registered vehicles. Over 200,000 traffic crashes occur every year in Puerto Rico, resulting in more than 35,000 injuries and 366 fatalities in 2012. The age distribution, population size, topography, climate and the vast number of vehicles (per square mile) are important factors in the evaluation of the traffic crash information. The Puerto Rico Highway Safety Plan (FY 2014) Problem ID, from the Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission (PRTSC) includes the following summary table: 6 6 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Indicator Registered Vehicles Licensed Drivers Roadway Miles Traffic Crash Trends 2008 2009 2010 3,129,561 3,026,815 3,020,455 2,017,055 2,628,207 3,102,941 16,576 16,680 16,693 2011 3,084,543 3,619,499 16,694 VMT 194.3 190.1 185.7 183.9 Total Crashes Total Injuries Fatal Crashes Total Fatalities 287,798 39,100 386 406 210,721 38,748 343 365 202,335 37,396 330 340 190,170 35,592 343 361 2012 3,500,941 2,991,904 Not Available Not Available 232,012* 35,219 354 366 *Preliminarily provided by the PRPD The priority areas identified by the PRTSC, based on their own analysis, are: Alcohol – Impaired driving fatalities represent 45% of the total fatalities in Puerto Rico. These fatalities typically occurred at nights and during weekends. Males comprise 85% of these fatalities and the age group 24-49 is the most at risk with 49%. The majority of alcohol related fatal crashes occurred on State Roads PR-1, 2, 3, 22 and 52. Motorcycle – Motorcyclists represent 15% of the total fatalities. The available crash data indicates that 99% of these are males and the predominant age group is 18-36. An interesting fact is that Sunday is the day of the week when most fatalities related to motorcycles occur. Another fact to note is that 70% of motorcyclists killed were not helmeted. Occupant Protection – In relation to occupant protection, males represent 81% of unrestrained occupant fatalities and ages 18-36 reflect the greatest number with 51%. These fatalities typically occur between 6:00pm and midnight and also during weekends. Non-Occupant – This priority area represents 34% of all fatalities reported. Of theses, 30% are pedestrian fatalities. Males represent 71% of all pedestrian fatalities and the 63+ age group is at a higher risk. The greatest number of non-occupant fatalities occurred after 6:00 pm in the metropolitan areas of San Juan, Aguadilla, Ponce and Mayaguez. In reviewing the data described above, it can be observed that Puerto Rico has been achieving significant results in the reduction of fatalities, especially when considering that back in 1987 there were 648 traffic fatalities in Puerto Rico. Many efforts from the PRTSC, the PRHTA, and the Police Department, among others, have yielded significant results. The most significant achievements are as follows: Puerto Rico was the first jurisdiction to pass a mandatory Safety Belt Law in 1974. As a result, a 2012 survey showed a 90.2% usage rate and 94.7% use of child restraints. Major legislation was passed for reducing BAC from 0.15% to 0.10% and then to 0.08%. 7 7 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review A new traffic law and executive order that increased penalties for traffic violations and promoted sobriety checkpoints was passed during the mid-90s. An aggressive Public Information and Education (PI&E) campaign and high visibility enforcement Funding for vehicles, equipment, training and other resources for Education and Enforcement activities Law 201, enacted in 2013 that prohibits cell phone use while driving. Continuous efforts from the Safety Engineering office at the PRHTA in promoting the latest safety engineering standards, including Standard Drawings, Design Directives, and seminars Continuous Police Department crackdown/selective enforcement efforts The PRTSC HSP for 2014 includes several Behavioral Programs, and goals as depicted below. The program identification and the respective goals were developed considering the problem identification effort previously discussed. 8 Program Performance Goals AlcoholImpaired Driving To reduce 5% of alcohol-related fatalities from 2011 to 2014 (i.e., 161 fatalities in 2011 to 153 in 2014). To increase the number of police agencies participating in HVE’s from 23 to 35 in 2014 To conduct five alcohol mobilizations during 2014. To coordinate at least four alcohol training sessions for the PR Police Department and Municipal Police in 2014. To conduct at least one training for judges and one for prosecutors during 2014. Youth Alcohol To reduce 20% of youth alcohol-related fatalities from 35 in 2011 to 28 in 2014. Police Traffic Services To reduce in 5% of speed related fatalities from 134 in 2013 to 127 in 2014. Performance Measures Number and percentage of alcohol-related fatalities Number of DWI interventions and arrests Number of young drivers involved in alcohol related fatality crashes Number of peer presentations Number of youths reached Number of traffic violations for speeding and other moving citations Number of police officers trained Number of police agencies participating in national campaigns Number of police agencies visited and oriented and site visits reports. 8 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Program 9 Performance Goals Planning and Administration Implement and maintain police procedures that provide for effective, efficient and economical operation and evaluation of the Highway Safety Program. Provide full support for all legislative. amendments that will improve traffic safety (i.e., increase penalties to unauthorized and/or suspended licensed drivers, for second offenders distracted drivers and unrestrained vehicle occupants). Occupant Protection Reduce 5% of unrestrained related fatalities from 99 in 2012 to 94 in 2014. Increase safety belt use from 90.2% in 2012 to 92% in 2014. Increase child restraint use from 94.7% in 2012 to 95% in 2014. Increase five additional fitting stations from 63 in 2012 to 68 in 2014. To certify 25 more technicians from 84 in 2012 to 109 in 2014. To participate in the 2014 National Click it or Ticket (CIOT) Mobilization. Community Program Maintain the PRTSC’s traffic safety educational efforts in all 78 municipalities to reduce traffic fatalities from 366 in 2012 to 350 in 2014. Reduce the number of fatalities at the municipal level in high incident municipalities. Performance Measures Prioritize problems and manage the received funds adequately To develop, coordinate, monitor and administratively evaluate traffic safety grants identified in the Plan To promote the PR Highway Traffic Safety Programs To contract professional services to develop a coordinated HSP to NHTSA by July 1st according to PRTSC traffic safety priorities and in accordance to MAP-21 To contract professional services for HSP annual reports Monitor performance of Sub-Grantees Continue to expand technology applications Single Audit for FY 2012-13 Number of seatbelts and child restraint nonusage citations Number of police agencies participating in the CIOT mobilization Number of child seats inspections and clinics checkpoints Amount of additional fitting stations Amount of new CPS Technicians Number of paid media and earned media units. Number of educational traffic safety activities conducted Number of fatalities by municipal area Number of citizens that received direct orientations and educational and promotional material in the activities Number of coordination efforts with local law enforcement. 9 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 1 0 Program Performance Goals Performance Measures Number of Digital PAR The time between crash and data availability in the database Number of members that have access to Project CARE Number of update driver records with DWI cases Traffic Record To collect data of the PAR by the end of the calendar year from 0% in 2012 to 25% in 2014. To reduce the time between crash and data availability in the analysis Accidents Office (DOT) from 916 days in 2011 to 365 in 2014 by reducing the crash records backlog. To increase project CARE access from 6 TRCC members in 2012 to 12 members in 2014. To integrate FARS into Puerto Rico CARE Database from 9% to 15% in 2014. To integrate the drunk drivers criminal. record of the Criminal Justice Information System (DOJ) with the DAVID+ Database System (DOT) from 0% in 2012 to 25% integration in 2014. Non-Occupant Protection To reduce pedestrians fatalities using 5 year rolling average from 110 in 2012 to 95 in 2014. To reduce cyclist fatalities using 5 year rolling average from 12.4 in 2012 to 12 in 2014. Number of non-occupants fatalities number of pedestrians fatalities Number of cyclists fatalities number of people reached with the educational programs Traffic Engineering To inspect and evaluate multiple road sites with reported traffic safety issues, from 16 in 2013 to 24 in 2014. To coordinate and promote Professional Highway Safety Education, from 4 in 2013 to 6 in 2014. To increase number of site visits and refer traffic safety issues to DOT, from 8 in 2013 to 16 in 2014. To monitor and manage on-going projects. To promote replacement and up-grades of traffic control devices in road systems, from 4 in 2013 to 6 in 2014. Number of sites visited to address and identify safety issues Number of sites visited and referrals to the DOT Number of inspections to monitor construction projects Number of crash reductions Number of traffic safety devices installed 10 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Program Paid Media Performance Goals Ensure that the Target Market adopts the road safety message. Increase recognition of the PRTSC educational message. Obtain an effective positive change in attitudes toward traffic safety. Increased Earned Media coverage. Motorcycle Safety To reduce motorcycle fatalities by a 7% from 45 in 2012 to 42 in 2014. Distracted Driving To decrease the percentage of people that reported making cell phone calls while driving from 64% in 2013 to 54% in 2014. To establish a Corporate Outreach Program in 40 State agencies and municipalities to address distracted driving and to promote and enforce policies regarding distracted driving during 2014. To educate the public through mass media efforts about the dangers of texting or using a cell phone while driving. To coordinate one national law enforcement mobilization targeting distracted drivers. Performance Measures Amount of Paid Media time Amount of Earned Media time Surveys Number of motorcycle fatalities Number of instructor examiners trained Number of military trained under MSF curriculum Number of campaigns materials developed and distributed Number of motorcyclist trained in “First There, First Care” Number of agencies and municipalities visited and oriented as part of the Corporate Outreach Program Number of distracted driving tickets Number of educational and orientation activities conducted Media exposure Distracted driving survey For each of the programs above, the HSP for 2014 includes a program overview presenting the statistics and a series of strategies/projects to execute in order to reach the program goals. 2.3. Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs (STIP and TIPs), developed by the States and MPOs, are capital programming documents. These programs are resource constrained and identify projects and funding that reflect society’s mobility, operational and safety needs. Currently, the PR STIP includes safety projects. Below, there is a list of the most relevant safety projects for Puerto Rico after a review of the STIP for Fiscal Year 2014. It should be noted that the STIP is a living document and the PRHTA is continuously updating this planning tool based on project execution and availability of funds. 1 1 11 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review AC Code Federal Code 990110 MP30 990113 MP30 018193 MP-181(21) 000214 MP40 000214 MP50 Description Islandwide Roadside, Pavement Marking, Signing, and Geometric Safety Improvements Projects (23CFR924) – 2012/13 Upgrade of Roadside Barriers on NHS/ (NCHRP-350 Stand) 2013 RFP for Pedestrian Bridge PR-181, Los Prados Consultant Services for Developing PR SHSP Consultant Services for Developing PR SHSP Municipality Funding Islandwide $12,961,811.33 Islandwide $18,631,087.00 San Juan $105,598.46 Islandwide $75,196.00 Islandwide $3,149,804.00 The table below shows a breakdown of the Islandwide Roadside, Pavement Marking, Signing and Geometric Safety Improvements projects. AC Code 100082 1 2 Federal Code MP-10(71) Description Geometric and Safety Improvements of PR-10 from km 33.7 to km 70.1 Geometric and Safety Improvements of PR-2 from km 52 to km 66 200279 MP-2(63) 000204 9999(203) Safe Routes to School Project #1 000205 9999(204) Safe Routes to School Project #2 000206 9999(206) Safe Routes to School Project #3 000207 9999(205) Safe Routes to School Project #4 000208 9999(202) Safe Routes to School Project #5 Municipality Utuado and Arecibo Manatí, Barceloneta and Arecibo San Sebastian, Las Marías, and Maricao Lares and Adjuntas Villalba, Juana Díaz, Coamo and Santa Isabel Vieques and Culebra Ciales, Manatí, Vega Baja, Vega Alta and Dorado Funding $2,445,805.00 $1,218,406.32 $200,000.00 $200,000.00 $200,000.00 $200,000.00 $200,000.00 12 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review AC Code Federal Code 301127 MP-3(41) 005380 MP-53(9) 301131 MP-3(45) 030809 MP-308(1) 085318 MP-853(3) Description Geometric Improvements for Hospital Access of PR-3 Geometric & Safety Improvements to Humacao Toll Plaza Highway Safety Improvements including shore bank stabilization, protection and pavement rehab at PR-3, km 68.4 to 70.0 Safety Improvements to PR-308 Safety Improvements to PR-853 from km 0.0 to km 13.7 Municipality Funding Carolina $2,000,000.00 Humacao $287,742.00 Naguabo, Humacao $148,285.91 Cabo Rojo $3,300,000.00 Carolina $2,561,572.10 The table below depicts the breakdown of projects related to NCHRP 350 upgrade AC Code Federal Code 520119 MP-52(34) 026123 MP-26(25) 990101 MP-9999(116) Description Safety Improvements of PR-52 at km 15 to km 32 Geometrical and Safety Improvements of PR-26 from PR-1 to PR-66 (15 kms) Installation of Crash Cushions and Traffic Impact Attenuators Municipality Funding Various $2,131,087.00 San Juan, Carolina $12,500,000.00 Various $4,000,000.00 Considering only the funding available for safety initiatives, the PRTHA has programmed an investment of $34.9 Million for the current Fiscal Year, meeting the requirement of MAP-21, in which 25% of the Federal funds available to PR shall be allocated for activities eligible under the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). 2.4. Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan from the Public Service Commission The Puerto Rico Public Service Commission (PRPSC) is the local agency in charge of regulating commercial vehicle transportation services and to improve Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) safety. The PRPSC prepared a Safety Action Plan, as part of the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) and in accordance with the FMCSA regulations. The mission of the PRPSC is to reduce accidents involving CMV in Puerto Rico and the goal is to reduce the Fatality Rate involving CMV to 0.114 per 100 million total miles traveled. The PRPSC recognizes the importance of all collaborative efforts from other agencies within the government of Puerto Rico, specifically: 1 3 9-1-1 Services PR Police Department PR Department of Transportation and Public Works PR Highway and Transportation Authority PR Ports Authority 13 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review PR Traffic Safety Commission Traffic Records Coordinating Committee PR Environmental Quality Board By using the Safetynet 2013 crash data, the PRPSC identified three (3) corridors of secondary roads and one primary roadway corridor with high crash incidents, as depicted below. Corridor Classification High Crash Incident Roads Primary Roads PR-22 PR-137 PR-149 PR-142 Secondary Roads According to the Safety Action Plan, 54% of the crashes along those corridors resulted in injuries and 27% were fatal. The goal is to decrease the fatality rate, from 0.03 per 100 million total vehicle miles traveled to 0.00 per 100 million total vehicle miles traveled in accordance to FMCSA guidelines. The crash reduction goal is one of six (6) areas/components of the PR CMV Safety Plan. The following table presents the six (6) areas/components and the related strategies/actions. 1 4 PR CMV Safety Program Component Strategies/Actions Crash Reduction Goal Inspection activities at PR-22, PR-137, PR-149 and PR-142 at least four (4) times a month at two different shifts, from 6:00 am to 2:30 pm and from 11:00 am to 7:30 pm. Coordinate traffic enforcement strike forces in coordination with the PR Police Department at least four (4) times a month with one MCSAP inspector per shift. Passenger Transportation Safety To provide MCSAP inspector with necessary training and certifications To provide MCSAP inspector with the special equipment needed To coordinate with the PR Department of Tourism and other agencies for commercial transportation of passengers to achieve uniformity and compliance To conduct educational outreach with the motorcoach vehicle operators in order to get compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation To identify motorcoach origin and destination and the highway corridor most commonly used. To coordinate with Federal, State and local agencies to facilitate the access of MCSAP inspectors to origin and destination sites Conduct North American Standard Level I, II, II, and IV inspections to the passenger vehicle on the destination sites Conduct North American Standard Level I, II, III, and IV inspections to passenger vehicles on motor carrier facilities To increase the presence of the MCSAP inspectors on the highways 14 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Use of strike forces on special occasions where an uncommonly large number of motorcoaches is expected. Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Coordination at Federal level with the Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) and FMCSA as well as with the LPG Office of the PSC to reduce violations in the Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety, especially for LPG cylinder requirements of 49 CFR Part 178 To reduce the number of Shipping Paper and Placard violations by 10% over the next two years. Driver/Vehicle Inspections Level III inspections to constitute 33% of all inspections. This strategy will be combined with traffic enforcement. Increase the total level of inspections by 5% from previous fiscal year Increase staff hours to be dedicated to conduct roadside inspections of passenger carrier at recreational areas To continuously address vehicle overweight and over dimension safety violations together with the PRDTPW To develop awareness of driver by distribution of brochures Traffic Enforcement To establish a base line of inspector hours allocated to traffic enforcement activities To have inspectors equipped with radar guns and videotaping equipment to facilitate the traffic enforcement activity without abandoning interagency traffic enforcement activities Carrier Interventions To coordinate Compliance Review training for the PRPSC inspectors. 2.5. Long Range Transportation Plan (2040) The 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for Puerto Rico is a compendium of four (4) major LRTPs; two for the Transportation Metropolitan Areas (TMAs) of San Juan and Aguadilla, one for the 5 Urbanized Areas (UZAs) and one Islandwide considering rural areas. The LRTPs were approved in December 2013 by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). For the purpose of this evaluation, we will be focusing on an assessment of the elements used in the LRTPs to prioritize the project inclusion, the sources of funding and the coordination done with other transportation plans; all within the vision of safety as one of the top priorities. In general, all LRTPs include the same vision, as depicted below: “The Islandwide transportation system will offer safe (emphasis provided), efficient and effective accessibility and mobility for all its citizens and businesses and for the movement of people and goods, promoting livable communities and urban spaces with energy efficiency and sustainable economic development.” In terms of the goals and objectives of the LRTPs, the documents make reference to safety (under the category for efficiency) in terms of: 1 5 15 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Goal: “Improve Transportation System Performance - Maintain and operate Puerto Rico's transportation facilities and services proactively for better economy and efficiency, leveraging available capacity, with adequate safety and security.” Objective: “Improve transportation system safety and security, and ability to support emergencies” The documents provide additional description of the objectives in terms of support for emergencies, making reference to hurricane evacuation, flooding and major system blockage incidents. For the financial background, the LRTP made reference to the FHWA funds, but does not provide a breakdown of the restricted uses per MAP-21. The forecast of PRHTA revenue used from 2013 to 2040 includes $995,521,000 for safety projects. The LRTP for PR Islandwide also indicates that 20% of the PRHTA construction and highway program funds are used for safety projects. In terms of the safety coordination efforts, the LRTP highlighted the important role of the PRHTA in defining engineering safety improvement projects as well as the collaboration efforts with the PRTSC and the PR Police Department. However, it does not include the Emergency Medical Services as a key factor, probably due to the lack of active participation by EMS organizations within the last several years. The following key strategies are proposed in the LRTP to improve safety: Continue through the partnership with the Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission to advance the work of traffic safety across the island, which has shown commendable results through a well-conceived and multipronged approach. Work to bring crash record reporting current to provide timely data for priority analysis and performance. Coordinate with the public transit corporations and services to conform to new MAP-21 requirements relating to safety plan and reporting requirements. Through a commitment of heightened funding for safety improvements, develop a targeted approach to identifying and defining safety improvements for maximum positive impact. Improve coordination with the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Office on the use and management of the highway system for special incident and natural disaster event emergency preparedness and response (for floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, hazardous material incidents, terrorism, etc). Coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on hurricane-scenario analysis, and revisit storm-surge mapping as it relates to transportation infrastructure risk and response and also as related to the climate change sea level rise analysis. Update hazardous cargo roadway incident response procedures with involved agencies and police authorities. Review prior incident records to identify any patterns of repeat incidents to address contributing factors. Review the status of the system response plan with U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidance. Explore implementation of a Road Ranger program on major expressways in urban areas to assist with disabled motorists, road debris, and other minor incidents. These agents can also report other roadway condition risks, accidents, and erratic or risk-causing vehicle activity. In some instances these services may be partially or fully sponsored by private business such as insurance companies. Expand security coordination with the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Office to better integrate evacuation protocols and also coordinate with ITS development and deployment activities. Again, it can be observed that the LRTP makes reference to coordination with Emergency Management Office, but not with the Emergency Medical Services component in terms of saving more lives. 1 6 16 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Finally, Chapter 8 of the LRTP for PR Islandwide presents performance measures for each of the goals and the performance elements (previously presented for safety). For Safety and Security, the LRTP recommends monitoring the Traffic Fatality Rate and not the serious injuries, probably due to the lack of this information at the time the LRTP was written. 2.6. Findings and Recommendations The reviewed plans change in format, and content as expected due to the differences in requirements. However; it is worth mentioning, before entering into a content discussion, the largest and most significant differences in terms of formatting/requirements are shown in the next table. Plan / Element Interim SHSP Supporting Statistics HSP LRTP PSC Safety Plan FARS FARS/Surveys Yes Yes Transportation Models/ Public Hearings/ MPO Input No No Yes N/A No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 5 2 N/A Various Goals Defined Goals supported by trends evaluation Performance Measures Strategies Period (years) for Reaching Goals Safetynet 2013 Partially Based on our review of the plans, the following table presents a summary of the most significant goals (or main objectives). Emphasis Area / Goals Interim SHSP HSP Traffic Record & Info Systems Improve crash database by 2016 Improve crash database by 2014 5% decrease in fatalities by 2016 Increase in: road inspections, highway safety education, and replacement and upgrade of traffic control devices Roadway Departure 1 7 LRTP (Only Strategies / Goals not Required) Bring crash data current to provide timely data for analysis and performance. Develop a targeted approach for identifying and defining safety improvements for maximum positive impact. PSC Safety Plan 17 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Emphasis Area / Goals Pedestrian and Cyclists 5% decrease in fatalities by 2016 Driver Behavior 10% decrease in fatalities by 2016 Distracted Driving Motorcycle Planning & Administration Occupant Protection Community Programs Paid Media CMV Crash Reduction 1 8 Interim SHSP HSP LRTP (Only Strategies / Goals not Required) Pedestrian – 13.6% reduction in 5Y rolling average from 2012 to 2014 Cyclists – Reduction in 5Y rolling average from 12.4 in 2012 to 12.0 in 2014 Alcohol related fatalities 5% reduction from 2011 to 2014 Youth alcohol related fatalities – 20% reduction from 2011 to 2014 Speeding related fatalities – 5% reduction from 2013 to 2014 A reduction from 64% to 54% in use of Cell phone calls (per survey results) 7% reduction in fatalities from 2012 to 2014 Ongoing efforts for Implementing/maintaining policies and procedures Unrestrained related fatalities – 5% reduction from 2012 to 2014 Traffic fatality reduction from 366 in 2012 to 350 in 2014 Increase recognition of the PRTSC educational message, positive change in attitudes toward traffic safety PSC Safety Plan To establish a base line of inspector hours allocated to traffic enforcement activities Update hazardous cargo roadway incident response procedures. Review prior incident Reduction fatality rate from 0.03 per 100 million TVM to 0.00 per 100 million TVM 18 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Emphasis Area / Goals Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Interim SHSP HSP Passenger Transportation Safety LRTP (Only Strategies / Goals not Required) records to identify contributing factors Coordinate with the public transit corporations and services to conform to new MAP-21 requirements relating to safety plan and reporting requirements Lowering the number of shipping paper and placard violations by 10% over the next 2 years Several strategies included. Not goal was specified Increase all inspections by 5% from previous FY Level III inspection to reach 33% of all inspections Establish state policies and procedures to conduct Compliance Reviews Driver/Vehicle Inspections Carrier Interventions Road Ranger Program PSC Safety Plan Remove disable vehicles, debris and clear incidents In general, the following findings/recommendations are presented: The STIP for FY 2013-14 presents a series of Safety Improvement projects meeting the requirements of MAP21 to allocate 25% of the PR funds from FHWA for safety related projects. Based on interviews with PRHTA personnel, the safety engineers from the PRHTA assign priorities based on safety assessments of hot corridors, site visits and using the crash database. Determining severity indices, and by performing RSAs, together with an incremental Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) would enhance the PRHTA’s ability to make more efficient and effective decisions in the process of selecting safety projects. The use of the Critical Analysis Reporting Environment (CARE) system will facilitate/ease the process of identifying hot corridors/spots. The recent launch of the CARE system and crash data analysis improvements is still an ongoing process. There are opportunities to refine the severity classification process by using the KABCO injury scale and by improving the location of the crashes in the database. The HSP from the PRTSC presents an assessment of the base conditions, establishes the goals and strategies to reach those goals and the metrics to measure the success of the program. It includes data from the ACAA to evaluate the characteristics of serious injury crashes, based on the definition that a serious injury crash involves the mobilization of the person(s) injured by ambulance. The plan presents limitations in the crash 1 9 19 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review data, as most of the analyses consider FARS data, and the serious injuries data do not include the PAR number. However, it is well complemented through the use of stakeholders' surveys. Most of the goals established in the PRTSC consider 2014 as the achievable year. The Interim SHSP considers a 5 year prediction in performance. Close coordination with the PRTSC shall be maintained within the first tasks of the SHSP project, currently the PRTSC and the PRHTA are developing Emphasis Areas and strategies for the HSP and the SHSP and both shall be in agreement. The LRTP seems well coordinated and in agreement with the MAP-21 requirements. However, there is an opportunity to improve it by maximizing the crash data analysis and integrating EMS as another critical element to consider in lowering the fatality and serious injury rates in Puerto Rico. There is consensus in all plans for addressing driver behavior for achieving a reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. With the exception of the PR CMV Safety Plan, the plans include improvements to the crash database as part of the Emphasis Areas/strategies. The PR CMV Safety Plan presents several objectives/strategies. However, no specific metrics or goals are included for Carrier Interventions and Passenger Transportation Safety. The PR CMV Safety Plan recognizes that driver behavior is the main element accountable for crashes. However, it recognizes the limitation on MCSAP Inspectors, as they are not able to write citations and fines for drug and alcohol use while driving a vehicle. The Plan indicates that there is a bill in the PR Senate to amend PR Law 22 to include PR PSC Inspectors in the Law Enforcement Officer definition. If this bill becomes a law, PR PSC Inspectors will be able to conduct drug and alcohol field test and issue the appropriate citations. The PR CMV Safety Plan emphasizes the importance of establishing State policies and procedures to conduct Compliance Reviews for Hazardous Materials (HM) CMV, non-HM CMV and buses. Both the HSP and the Interim SHSP recognize the importance of the EMS as one of the “Four Es” in reducing fatalities and serious injuries. The LRTP and the PR CMV Safety Program do not incorporate EMS as part of the plans. 3. Crash Databases This section presents a detailed review of the databases that are available with the Puerto Rico Highway Transportation Authority (PRHTA). The available crash databases, traffic citation database, and the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases are discussed in detail. The limitations of the available data are then provided. The chapter concludes with a discussion on potential improvements to the data gathering and management process. The review includes the following crash databases: 2 0 Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) Critical Analysis Reporting Environment (CARE) Database and the PRHTA Automobile Accident Compensation Administration (ACAA) Traffic Citation Data GIS Data 20 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 3.1. Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) FARS is a nationwide census that provides yearly traffic crash data involving fatalities. The FARS database contains data on fatal crashes for the years 1975 to 2012 for the 50 States in the U.S., District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. “To be included in FARS, a crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a traffic way customarily open to the public, and must result in the death of an occupant of a vehicle or a non-occupant within 30 days (720 hours) of the crash” (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA, 2014). The FARS Analytical User’s Manual (2014) provides a detailed discussion on the types of data variables available and the codes used in FARS. For year 2012, FARS database, extract made available by the PRTSC, includes the following data variables for all fatal crashes that occurred on public roads in PR: Municipality Hour, month, and day of crash Roadway name and kilometer marker Age Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Classification: (bicyclist, pedestrian, driver, passenger, motorcyclist, trooper, other) Gender Seatbelt use Alcohol-involvement For years 2008 to 2011 PR FARS database, extract made available by the PRTSC, includes all the above identified data variables for all fatal crashes except data on seatbelt use and alcohol-involvement. 3.2. PRHTA Crash Database and CARE System The PR DTPW crash database is operated and managed by the Accident Analysis Office (AAO). The database consists of all the data entered in crash reports, representing more than 230,000 data entered per year from 1997 to 2011, except year 2001, with incomplete data for years 2010 and 2011. The limitations in the data gathering process of the AAO resulted in a serious evaluation of data fields needed to perform on a yearly based crash analysis in Puerto Rico. After this evaluation, performed with the help of the Traffic Engineering and Operational Area (PRHTA) and the PRTSC, the AAO reduced the fields entered in the database and began to use only Fatal and Injury crashes (F+I) for their crash analysis. In order to gather a tool for faster and deeper crash evaluations, the PRTSC has an agreement with the University of Puerto Rico (Río Piedras campus). Through the execution of this agreement, the University contracted the staff of the Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS) at the University of Alabama. The Center for Advanced Public Safety, at The University of Alabama, is a research and development center dedicated to the use of information technology to help improve society by performing crime, accidents, and other analyses that impact people positively. CAPS has more than thirty years of experience in the traffic safety industry in the United States. The following products from CAPS have received the support from local and national government agencies in the USA: eCite: Comprehensive electronic citation issuance and processing system o Mobile Officer’s Virtual Environment (MOVE): enables officers to operate their computer systems from anywhere on the highway 2 1 21 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review eCrash: Electronic crash reporting and transmission procedure used with MOVE (gather and stores information) CARE: Data analysis software package used for problem identification and countermeasure development in traffic safety and others applications (criminal justice, emergency management, questionnaires, etc.) The Critical Analysis Reporting Environment (CARE) is being used to provide to the decision-makers a practical report on crash analysis. This is because it is a crash data analysis software system that has an easy-to-use interface which turns data into information. This software has the following capabilities (CARE, 2014): Statistical Generation Data Analysis Information Mining Capability Analysis of Non-categorical Variables Narrative Data Searching (subject to data availability) Hotspot Determination Report Generation Collision Diagram Generation (subject to data availability) GIS Integration (subject to data availability) Traditionally, agencies often maintain crash databases in the following three different tables: crash, vehicle, and person. The crash table includes all the attributes of the crash such as crash type, severity, roadway condition, weather condition, etc. The vehicle table includes specific details about the vehicles involved in the crash such as the vehicle type, make and model of the vehicle, etc. Finally, the person table includes details on all the road users involved in the crash and includes person-level information such as age, gender, seating position, etc. For example, a crash involving two vehicles with three occupants in the two vehicles will have one record in the crash table, two records in the vehicle table, and three records in the person table. Note that all these tables could be linked through a unique ID, the crash number or the PAR number. For PR data, the DTPW and the CAPS personnel worked together to develop a crash database that integrates data from a group of the 108 tables of the database. In other words, the CARE database does not include separate tables for the crashes, vehicles, and occupants; all the important information is compiled into one table. Note that each record in this table corresponds to one crash. The future crash data entry improvements could include providing the complete relational database with the crash, vehicle, and person tables. CARE version 10.0.0.22 has Puerto Rico crash data for years 2002 through 2009, and for year 2012. The database includes all crashes (i.e., fatal, injury, and property damage only (PDO) crashes) for the years 2002 to 2006 and only fatal and injury (F+I) crashes for the years 2007 to 2009 and 2012. More specifically, the following data variables and their attributes are included in CARE database: Year (2002-2009, 2012) Month Day of month Day of the week Week of the year 2 2 22 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Time of day Date Related event (most harmful) Overturn Fire/explosion Submerged Gas inhalation Spilled load Leakage/spilling Irregular road surface Fell off cliff Collapsed road/bridge Two vehicles Three or more vehicles Pedestrian hit and run Hit and run Stationary vehicle Cyclist Cyclist hit and run Motorcyclist Motorcyclist with fixed object Animal barrier Safety drums Utility poles Mailbox Traffic sign Back-slope Bridge Building Fence Other fixed object Pothole Agricultural equipment Jackknifed Construction equipment Motorcycle overturned Storm drain Fallen person Other with collision Other event without Trees collision Pedestrian Fire hydrant Collision type Entering intersection at an angle A parked vehicle In the same direction – posterior A vehicle stopped on pavement In the same direction – turning A vehicle parking or reversing In the same direction – side A vehicle exiting a parking space In the opposite direction – front A vehicle entering a private entrance In the opposite direction – turning A vehicle exiting a private entrance In the opposite direction – side Not available Contributing circumstances Left crash scene Vision obstructed Vehicle to the left Under the influence of Driver lost control Failure to obey signal alcohol Failure to yield Mechanical defect Over-extended load Disregarded traffic control Roadway defect Street racing Exceeded speed limit Driver too slow Pedestrian violation Weight/height/width of Avoid object/person Overloaded vehicle Improper turn Climate/weather Failure to dim Following too closely Inappropriate trailer hitch Load fell off Improper lane change Driver condition Didn’t see person/object Improper reverse Wrong way Defective traffic light 2 3 23 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Improper passing Vehicle pushing another vehicle Person pushing vehicle Failure to signal Number of vehicles involved Number of pedestrians involved Number of injured Number of fatalities Crash type Fatal Injury PDO Road surface condition Dry Wet Muddy Other Roadway characteristics Straight-level Straight-downhill Straight-uphill Straight-hill top Curve-level Traffic control Police/work zone flagger Pedestrian control Traffic light Flashing traffic light Stop sign Lighting condition Daytime Sunrise Sunset Weather condition Foggy Windy Clear Location type Intersection of two state roads Other None Curve-downhill Curve-uphill Curve-hill top Other Unknown Yield sign No passing zone Other Unknown Dark with lighting Dark without lighting Unknown Cloudy Rainy Other Intersection of one state road and one municipal road Intersection of two municipal roads 2 4 24 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review State road with kilometer marker (non-intersection) Road or street with section number (urban area) Road or street without intersection, kilometer marker or section number Unknown Police precinct/district Arecibo Highway Bayamon Highway Caguas Highway Fajardo Highway Guayama Highway Ponce Highway San Juan Highway Adjuntas District Aguada District Aguadilla District Aguas Buenas District Aibonito District Añasco District Arecibo District Arroyo District Barceloneta District Barranquitas District Cabo Rojo District Caguas District Camuy District Canóvanas District Cataño District Cayey District Ceiba District Ciales District Dorado District Fajardo District Florida District Guánica District Guayama District Guayanilla District Guaynabo District Gurabo District Hatillo District Hormigueros District Humacao District Isabela District Jayuya District Juana Díaz District Juncos District Lajas District Lares District Las Marías District Las Piedras District Levittown District Loíza District Luquillo District Manatí District Maricao District Maunabo District Cidra District Coamo District Comerío District Corozal District Culebra District Dajaos District Mayagüez District Moca District Morovis District Naguabo District Naranjito District Orocovis District Patillas District Peñuelas District Ponce District Quebradillas District Rincón District Rio Grande District Rio Piedras District Sabana Grande District Salinas District San Germán District San Juan District San Lorenzo District San Sebastián District Santa Isabel District Toa Alta District Toa Baja District Utuado District Vega Alta District Vega Baja District Vieques District Villalba District Yabucoa District Yauco District Traffic Division Carolina Traffic Division Station A Caimito Precint Airport Precint Angeles Precint Highway Precint Ramey Base Precint North Bayamón Precint West Bayamón Precinct South Bayamón Precinct Bo. Obrero Precinct Loiza St. Precinct North Carolina Precinct West Carolina Precinct South Carolina Precinct Castañer Precinct Cedro Arriba Precinct Cupey Precinct El Tuque Precinct East Hato Rey Precinct West Hato Rey Precinct Juan Domingo Precinct La Playa Precinct La Rambla Precinct Mameyes Precinct North Mayaguez Precinct South Mayaguez Precint Monte Hatillo Precint Morell Campos Precint Parada 19 Precint Puerto Nuevo Precint Sabana Hoyos Precint North Trujillo Alto Precint South Trujillo Alto Precint Touristic Zone Precint Traffic Sub-Div. Bayamon Aibonito Traffic Div. Municipality 2 5 25 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Adjuntas Aguada Aguadilla Aguas Buenas Aibonito Añasco Arecibo Arroyo Barceloneta Barranquitas Bayamón Bo. Obrero Cabo Rojo Caguas Camuy Canóvanas Carolina Cataño Cayey Ceiba Ciales Cidra Coamo Comerío Corozal Culebra Dorado Fajardo Florida Guánica Guayama Guayanilla Guaynabo Gurabo Hatillo Hato Rey Hormigueros Humacao Isabela Isla Verde Jayuya Juana Díaz Juncos Lajas Lares Las Marías Las Piedras Loiza Luquillo Manatí Maricao Maunabo Mayagüez Moca Morovis Naguabo Naranjito Orocovis Patillas Peñuelas Ponce Puerto Nuevo Quebradillas Rincón Rio Grande Rio Piedras Sabana Grande Salinas San Germán San Juan San Lorenzo San Sebastián Santa Isabel Santurce Toa Alta Toa Baja Trujillo Alto Utuado Vega Alta Vega Baja Vieques Villalba Yabucoa Yauco Unknown Road class and jurisdiction Primary state road (regional) Secondary state road (inter municipal) Tertiary state road (intra municipal) Street (municipal road) Unknown Causing Unit (CU) driver gender Male Female Unknown CU driver age CU driver authorized 2 6 Yes No Unknown 26 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review CU driver condition Normal Inebriated Fatigued Under the influence of drugs Drunk Other Learner driver Unknown CU vehicle type Car Motorcycle Small truck Bicycle Pick-up Agricultural machine Van Road equipment Semi-tractor (cab) Trailer Truck Mobile home Bus Jeep School bus Other Crane CU contributing circumstance Left scene of the crash Vision obstructed Vehicle to the left Under the influence of alcohol Driver lost control Failure to obey signal Failure to yield Mechanical defect Over-extended load Disregard traffic control Roadway defect Street racing Exceeded speed limit Driver too slow Pedestrian violation Avoid object/person Overloaded Weight/height/width of vehicle Improper turn Climate/weather Failure to dim Following too closely Inappropriate trailer hitch Load fell off Improper lane change Driver condition Didn’t see person/object Improper reverse Wrong way Defective traffic light Improper passing Vehicle pushing another vehicle Other Failure to signal Person pushing vehicle None CU seatbelt use 2 7 27 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review CU vehicle direction o North o Southwest o Northeast o West o East o Northwest o Southeast o Unknown o South Motorcycle involved Bicycle involved Passenger vehicle involved Truck or van involved Heavy vehicle involved Young victims involved Youth victims involved Adult victims involved Older victims involved Elderly victims involved Male victims involved Female victims involved Young drivers involved Youth drivers involved Adult drivers involved Older drivers involved Elderly drivers involved Male drivers involved Female drivers involved Has Global Positioning System (GPS) 2 8 o Provided by officer o Derived from route and kilometer (KM) o Removed as invalid o N/A 28 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 3.3. Automobile Accident Compensation Administration (ACAA) The Automobile Accident Compensation Administration (ACAA, in Spanish) is a social based governmental agency that works as an insurance company. It compensates families affected by serious and fatal crashes to mitigate the economic and social impact on their health or life loss. ACAA gathers data from police crash reports, from the emergency management services provided to crash victims and from the Department of Transportation and Public works (DTPW). The ACAA database includes personal data of all the victims of serious injury and fatal crashes and the agency focuses on the demographic information of the victims. The following data variables are included within the ACAA database: Category: driver, passenger, pedestrian, without license Date and hour of crash Day of crash Municipality Gender Age This data contained in the ACAA database is too limited to use in conducting a detailed crash analysis. One recommendation is to link the ACAA database to the crash database by means of the PAR number. If both databases could be linked, data on crashes involving severe injuries could be analyzed. Another potential limitation with the ACAA database is that the database also includes crashes involving fatalities. This is because a person seriously injured at a crash site might have died later at the hospital. Since the database might not include all fatalities, the analysis of fatal and serious injury crashes might require merging the fatal crash database and the ACAA database and removing the duplicate records. 3.4. Traffic Citation Data Current traffic citation data, provided by the Puerto Rico Police Department, includes years 2008 to 2012. The database, which includes both the police areas and the division of highway patrol, provides statistics on total accidents, traffic tickets, and other interventions. Total accidents, fatal accidents, and injury accidents are separately identified in “Accidents” category. The following are identified in “Traffic Ticket” category: 2 9 Speed limit 55 MPH Unnecessary noise Heavy vehicles/trucks Speeding in school zones Vehicle inspection Waste management law Other speed-related Window tinting People with disability law Safety belt Traffic lights Parking tickets Car seats (children) Stop sign Other tickets 29 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Similarly, the “Other Interventions” category includes the following: Driving under the influence (DUI) with BAC ≥ 0.08% Street peddlers Interventions with minors (no adults) DUI with BAC < 0.08% Non-authorized driver Blood test Other interventions Negatives Orientations Total DUI records Aid or help given Intervention with Pedestrians Law 201-2011, enacted on January 1, 2013 prohibits the use of handheld cell phones while driving. The data related to fees imposed for driving while using a cell phone for year 2013 and part of year 2014 (January to March 2014) was provided by the Police Department. The data indicates that 42,203 and 10,006 tickets were issued on 2013 and 2014 respectively. The data available for cell phone usage while driving included only the total tickets written by the police per year. For a more specific analysis of the cell phone use while driving, the following data shall be included as part of the citation data report: Distribution of the tickets: regions, municipalities, road numbers Time of the day Day of the week Driver's Age Driver's condition Driver's gender The limitations on the use of the citation data for in-depth behavior analysis are: The data is not collected and stored electronically: There is no database available on citations data The data is limited to the number of issued tickets: There is no other data field related to the citation, as mentioned above. The data is not associated to any crash data: The data is limited to non-crash events and there is a lack of information on crash reports associated to distracted drivers and/or the use of cell-phones. Future data associated with crashes and cell-phone usage is expected because Law 201-2011 requires that police officers collect that information on crash scenes. Other citation data related to driver's license revocation due to drunk driving is going to be evaluated. The Directory of Drivers Services (DISCO in Spanish) has the responsibilities of drivers' license examination, point system management, and revocation, among others. Once the data of drivers' license revocation due to drunk drivers is gathered, a comparison with crash trends related to alcohol is going to be performed. 3 0 30 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 3.5. GIS Data In Puerto Rico, the use of GIS files is being limited to map generation and other purposes not related to identify crash locations for analysis. The following GIS shape files are available from the PRHTA: HPMS_2014_LOGS_2012 - The HPMS Log information (by sections and state road KM) GIS Base Map with dynamic segmentation of state road kilometers ACT_CARRETERAS_ESTATALES_OCT_2013 ACT_CARRETERAS_NHS_2014 - ACT NHS ACT_INTERSTATE_SYSTEM_ 2013 - ACT Interstate System ACT_STRAHNET_SYSTEM_2013 ACT_CARRETERAS_SEGMENTADAS_KM_2013 It is to be noted that the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) log data (i.e., the GIS base map) is available and complete only for the state roads in PR. 3.6. Findings and Recommendations 3.6.1. Data Limitation The PR DTPW, together with the PRHTA and the PRTSC, have access to police crash reports used to fill their database in the AAO. In addition, PR DTPW has access to FARS database, police citations reports, a limited database from ACAA for serious injuries and fatalities, and GIS highway maps. Regardless, there are several limitations associated with the databases that are currently available. One of the major issues with the current crash databases is missing or incomplete location information. For the 2002 to 2006 data, only approximately 40% of crashes (depending on crash type and police reporting unit) are being located because only state roads have kilometer markers. For the most recent data (i.e., for 2007-2009 and 2012), this percentage is 60% for non-state roads and 80% for state roads. Non-state roads, except at urban locations, have not yet been installed with kilometer markers. Furthermore, the kilometer markers on the state roads are not 100% accurate, as two or more state roads might have the same roadway name (or ID) and kilometer markers, thus questioning the validity of the crash locations. The crash location data shall improve after the projects initiated by the PRHTA (see Statewide Transportation Improvement Program -STIP in Chapter 2) to install new kilometer posts for state roads are completed. Furthermore, the intersection data for state roads is expected to improve, based on the GIS data being collected as part of these projects. The GIS data also includes some roadway characteristics data identified in the Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) database. However, since these projects are for state roads alone, the crash locations of non-state roads cannot be improved unless the non-state roads are provided with kilometer markers. 3 1 31 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 3.6.2. Opportunities for Improvement Injury Severity Classification Although the police reports record injury severity as fatal, major injury, or minor injury, the data are not being coded in the crash summary records. It would definitely be beneficial to include the following detailed classification for injury severity. K – Fatal Injury A – Incapacitating Injury B – Non-Incapacitating Injury C – Possible Injury O – Property Damage Only Improve Existing Police Reports One of the main opportunities that the Police Department has for enhancement would be to digitize and store the police crash reports. The scanned copies of the police reports will vastly improve data collection management, data entry process, and lead times from the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPO) to PRDTPW. This improved method of data collection and storage would be beneficial in performing RSAs, conducting site-specific safety analyses and for law enforcement officers in targeting specific crash patterns and high crash locations. The Puerto Rican Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC) is working together with the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) to achieve these goals. Improve Crash Locations As previously discussed, the crash location information is currently either inaccurate or incomplete. Installing both state roads and non-state roads with kilometer markers would be the first step toward obtaining accurate crash locations. Another approach to accurately obtain crash locations would be to use GPS to record the coordinates (i.e., latitude and longitude) of the crash site. The PR DTPW and the PRHTA can work in coordination with municipalities to install kilometer posts along the entire highway system (state roads and non-state roads) and to integrate kilometer information on the existing GIS maps. In addition, the PRPD could obtain GPS tools (i.e. official cell phones, camera systems, tablets) to gather GPS information at crash and crime scenes for the analysis of these locations. Collect and Maintain Roadway Characteristics Information Besides accurate and complete crash data, the safety analysis requires detailed information on roadway characteristics. For example, in addition to the facility type, information on the number of lanes; lane width; presence, width, and type of shoulders; presence and width of median, etc. are required for roadway segments. Similarly, for intersections, number of intersection legs; traffic control type; number of left-turn lanes, through lanes, and right-turn lanes at each approach leg, etc. are required to analyze intersections. Lack of this information significantly hinders a majority of the safety analysis procedures, including network screening and project prioritization. The GIS Office of the PRHTA visits state road projects gathering some of the information on roadway characteristics for use by the Highway System Office. However, the PRHTA must develop an Asset Management Plan according to MAP21 using the recommended roadway and traffic elements listed on MIRE (Model Inventory of Roadway Elements). Consequently, the FHWA's Guidance Memorandum on Fundamental Data Elements (FDEs) to Improve the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) has to be implemented in the Traffic Bureau in order to collect the minimum data required for each road. 3 2 32 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review Collect and Maintain Traffic Data Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) is the most important variable to conduct safety analyses. For example, crash rate, the most common measure to evaluate safety at a location requires normalizing crash frequency (i.e., number of crashes that occurred at the location) by the amount of traffic that passes through that location (i.e., number of vehicles). This information is not available for the entire roadway network. Therefore, efforts to collect and maintain yearly AADT data would be beneficial to the PRDTPW. As part of the Asset Management Plan (MAP-21, MIRE) mentioned previously for the PRHTA, it shall include a continuous traffic monitoring system for the entire highway system. To accomplish that goal, the use of ITS technologies for traffic data collection and management is needed. 4. Behavioral Surveys Other sources of information available are the results of behavioral surveys. This chapter discusses the following two behavioral studies that were conducted in Puerto Rico: Campaign effectiveness study of the driving under the influence of alcohol pre-campaign vs. post-campaign report (TMCQ, 2013a) 2013 Puerto Rico observational seatbelt use survey (TMCQ, 2013b) 4.1. DUI Survey The PRTSC contracted with the firm TMC Qualitative (TMCQ) to measure the effectiveness of media campaigns designed to create an awareness of the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol. The media campaigns were launched in July 2013; the pre-campaign study was conducted in early July 2013, and the post-campaign study was conducted in August and September, 2013. Based on 500 person-to-person interviews that were conducted both pre- and post-campaigns, the study concluded that the campaigns were successful in spreading the message on DUI. Approximately 30% of the sample was found to have admitted to having driven while intoxicated. The authors, therefore, concluded that the government should continue to educate the general public, particularly males and younger drivers. 4.2. Use of Seatbelt Survey The TMC Qualitative (TMCQ) conducted the observational seatbelt use study in 2013 for PR (TMCQ, 2013b). The objective of this study was to estimate the seat belt use in PR at a specific point in time. The study was conducted from December 5th through 13th, 2013. The analysis subsequently performed was based on a total of 6,800 vehicle observations (constituting a total of 8,995 occupants, of which 6,800 were drivers and the remaining 2,195 occupants were passengers in the front seat) across 17 counties in PR. The study determined that the overall belt use by the occupants was 89.7%, with a standard error of 2.2%. The following are the key conclusions of this study: The seat belt use on expressways or limited-access highways was highest at 90.9%, followed by arterials at 90.5%, while the seat belt use on local roads was relatively lower, at 82.6%. A high 90.3% of drivers wore seat belts, while 86.7% of front seat passengers wore seat belts. A high 92.3% of females wore seat belts, compared to 88.3% of males. The younger age group (16-40 yrs) had the lowest rate of seat belt use (86.5%), followed by middle-aged occupants (40-60 yrs) at 91.3%, and finally the older age group (over 60 yrs) at 95.9%. 3 3 33 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 4.3. Findings and Recommendations Behavioral studies help to understand the way people change for a specific behavior. The two studies performed recently in Puerto Rico, seatbelt use and drunk drivers had shown the influence that targeted law enforcement and educational campaigns had in positively changing road users' behavior. The impact of previous educational campaigns on seatbelt use had resulted in an 89.7%, seatbelt usage, the highest in the nation. In addition, people who participated in the DUI alcohol survey recommended educational campaigns to impact males and younger drivers, among the general public. 5. Data Gathering Tools The need to acquire a sufficient quantity of accurate data is a fundamental requirement for performing any type of research. In terms of traffic crash analysis, the information gathered at the crash scene has to be very specific and comprehensive in order to fully understand the circumstances associated with the event and subsequently, to determine what engineering countermeasures may be needed to reduce the potential for related crash patterns in the future. This chapter summarizes the data gathering process for crash analysis purposes in the government of Puerto Rico. It includes a description of the police reports used on the Island, the process of entering crash data in the PRDTPW, a summary of findings and recommendations to update the process and tools, and opportunities to automate and/or improve the process. 5.1. Police Report The PRPD uses Forms PPR-93 and PPR-94 for obtaining on-scene crash data. These forms include information for all the people and vehicles involved in the crash, crash description, crash location, and other related data. In 2012, a new version of the crash report form was developed; however, it has not yet been instituted. The revised form includes 332 fields for fatal and injury crashes and 106 fields for property damage crashes. The TRCC efforts include the digitalization of the new PPR-93 which integrates old PPR-94 and PPR-94 and shall be filled out using tablets or laptop computers. 5.1.1. Format The prevailing PD crash report (PPR-93 and PPR-94, ver. 01/88) format is organized into four main sections: Crash Location Vehicle’s Information Injured or Deaths Information Crash Description (Narrative/Drawing) The Information of Crash Location Section includes the following fields (1 thru 14): 3 4 Date (day-month-year) Federal Highway Classification Time Collision Type Day of the Week Qty. Vehicles Municipality Qty. Pedestrians Related Event to Collision Qty. Injured Location Qty. Fatalities Location Code Accident Type 34 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review The Section of Vehicles’ Information is divided in two identical sub-sections. Fields 15 to 62 refer to Vehicle 1 and fields 63 to 112 refer to Vehicle 2. The fields include the following data: Drivers’ information: name, age, gender, phone num., occupation, address, years driving, authorized, insured, license status, license num., license type, Soc. Sec. num., condition, blood analysis, alcohol level, resident 25 miles Vehicle’s information: year, brand, model, plaque, state, inspection, owner’s name, owner’s address, vehicle type, use, hazardous cargo, puller, mechanical defects, affected area Other information: speed limit, estimated speed, safety belts, vehicle in motion, contributing circumstances, driver’s maneuver, pedestrian, bicyclist, location code The “Injured and/or Deaths” information includes spaces for up to five persons’ data. The data includes: name, vehicle, age, gender, injured, lesion type, expulsion, first aid by, address, emergency transportation data, and safety equipment. The last sheet contains the Crash Description. In this section, the police officer writes down all of the details that he/she considers to be important for describing the crash scene. The report also includes a crash diagram for the officer to draw the position of vehicles as observed at the scene. Finally, the officers have to sign the form and include the investigating officer’s plaque ID and date. 5.2. Data Entry Process 5.2.1. Selection of Applicable Crashes The Accidents Analysis Office (AAO) receives all crash reports from the Police Department by year. The reports are organized by AAO personnel into four categories: Fatal, Injury, Property Damage and Not Applicable. The Not Applicable reports are those crashes related to criminal activities and other injuries or fatalities which occurred that are not related to traffic crashes. 5.2.2. Zoning (Location by Maps or Kilometers) Identification of the approximate location of crashes, or zoning, is important to accurately analyze crashes and/or crash patterns. After organizing the reports, the fatal and injury crashes are selected for the zoning process. The zoning process is strictly manual, using the maps labeled in the office and other tourist maps of the Island because they are more up to date. These maps (AAO's maps) have labels for road number, kilometer, intersections, section numbers, and roadway classification (primary, secondary, and tertiary). The data entry personnel have to interpret the police narrative in order to locate the crash on the AAO's maps. These maps include legends for important infrastructure references such as: 3 5 Churches Jails Schools Central Business Districts Police Stations Post Offices Hospitals Fire Engine Houses Cemeteries Pedestrian Bridges Industrial Plants Others 35 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review The section numbers are used when there is a reference location and there isn't a specified kilometer. For grade separated intersections, the personnel have to find the kilometers where the roads intersect and assign that kilometer to the road where the accident occurred. If there isn't enough information to establish on which road the crash occurred, the person in charge assumes that it occurred on the ramp and uses the corresponding section number because most ramp locations can be identified using the ramp section number. After completing the zoning process the reports have to be codified. 5.2.3. Codification Codification of police crash reports is a process utilized to convert the police data to a more accurate and manageable data format. It starts by adding all the necessary digits required for the data entry process. For example, adding 9999 where the police didn't provide kilometer information means that there is no data. In addition, a code for the traffic direction of each vehicle is added. The codification personnel check the consistency of the report and make changes when they find a possible mistake or inconsistency in the data. The inconsistencies can occur in many fields such as: town code versus the town written by the police, code for collision type versus narrative, code for related event versus narrative and contributing circumstances versus narrative and related event. The data entry process can start after the codification processes have ended and the badge and control numbers are assigned. 5.2.4. Data Entry The process for entering crash data into the PRDTPW computerized database is performed by the AAO. In the past, this office populated all the fields contained in the police reports, resulting in more than 100 entries per crash. In addition, all crash types were being entered, affecting the amount of data available for performing annual reports on crash analysis. The Accidents Analysis Office has taken actions to improve the data entry process and to reduce the time needed for crash analyses. One of the actions taken was the reduction of fields used for data entry. After receiving recommendations from the Roadside Safety Audit Team (actually the Traffic Safety Projects Division) of the PRHTA and others, the office changed their protocol and their data entry page to enter only 35 fields from the police crash report. The fields that are being entered are: 3 6 Citation Number Qty. Fatalities Type of Injury Accident Date Accident Type Type of Lesion Day of the Week Road Condition Driver’s Sex Street or Road Road Charact. Driver’s Age Km Traffic Control Authorized Driver Intersection Visibility Driver Lic. Num. Intersection Type Weather Driver Condition Related Event Police Precinct Type of Vehicle Collision Type Municipality Num. Use of Seat Belt Qty. Vehicles Classification Contributing Circ. Qty. Pedestrians Sex Impact Direction Qty. Injured Age 36 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review In addition, because the analysis requested by the Federal and local governments is based on fatal and injury crashes, the office utilizes only these two crash types for performing the analysis. 5.3. Opportunities to Automate or Improve Process After analyzing the process of crash data analysis short, intermediate, and long term opportunities for improvement can be evaluated. For the short term, the Accident Analysis Office and the IT Office can evaluate and reprogram the page used for data entry in order to reduce the possibility of human errors in the data entry process. In addition, for the intermediate term, the DAVID traffic fines’ database from CESCO could be integrated to the AAO database to reduce the amount of information entered by the AAO personnel. DAVID’s database includes the driver’s personal information, vehicles’ plaque database and fines associated with the previous two. If both databases are integrated, all the personal information can be obtained by entering the driver’s license number. For the long term consideration, the AAO and the Police Department could integrate GIS maps into tablets or laptops to locate the crash at the scene together with digital or paper police reports. 5.3.1. Use of GIS The GIS Office from the Programming and Special Studies Area of the PRHTA is using aerial photos and field studies to produce accurate primary and secondary highway maps of Puerto Rico. Since 1994 the entire highway system (state and municipal roads) has been geo-referenced. Actually, the efforts are concentrated on identifying municipal roads, especially the roads near municipal boundaries because of the current lack of information for these areas. These maps are available to locate crashes but the information from the police report and map coordinates are not equivalent; one has road and kilometer numbers and the other real coordinates. Actually, PRHTA is performing an extensive project to install km posts along state roads, geo-reference them and revise origin and end points for each road. The project includes the use of non-metal sign posts due to the increase of metal robbery in PR. After the completion of this project (estimated by 2016), PRHTA will have enough data to integrate real coordinates and road kilometers for the main roads of the Island. The use of GPS technology is one of the latest developments currently being used by law enforcement agencies around the World. Some examples of the applications of GPS technology used by police departments within the United States are as follows: Police radios Cellular phones Handheld digital devices Digital in-car video camera systems The PR Police Department has been making efforts to include GPS technology in crime and crash scene investigations without results. To achieve this goal, it is fundamental for the PD to invest in the necessary technology, personnel, and training. 5.3.2. Use of Tablets The PR Police Department has been making efforts to try to introduce computers or other electronic devices in the field to enter crash data directly into a digital database. Currently, the Police Department vehicles are not equipped with any such technology for crash data collection purposes. 3 7 37 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 5.3.3. Others Other areas of opportunity to improve the process of data gathering include the following: Implement the use of Crash Data Improvement Program Guide (April 2010) in the AAO Install kilometer markers along secondary and tertiary roads Install official municipality limits signs Use GPS technology to locate crashes at the scene Use GIS maps to identify the crash location at the AAO or for any other crash analysis tool Develop an integrated database with data gathered by ACAA, Police Department, Emergency Management, 91-1, FARS, Compulsory Insurance Company and PRHTA (GIS). 5.4. Findings and Recommendations to Update Processes and Tools There have been efforts to improve the process to manage crash data driven by the PRPD. Efforts include police report revisions, the use of data entry technology at crash scenes, reduction of fields used for data entry at the AAO, selection of fatal and injury crashes reports for the Crash Analysis and others. However, as a part of the SHSP process for Puerto Rico, we recommend a complete re-look at the crash data that is being collected. The current crash reporting form has 332 fields for fatal and serious injury crashes. That is a considerable amount of information to collect. Since only a small part of that is being entered into the electronic crash databases, there is a need to simplify the PAR to reduce the data collected following the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC). One of the assignments for the “Traffic Crash Records and Information Systems” Emphasis Area team will be to take a strategic look at the data being collected and determine whether each piece should be classified as “required to have,” “nice to have,” or “no apparent reason to have.” It is important that this Emphasis Area team have representation from all of the “E’s” so that data that is not needed by one particular stakeholder is not inadvertently removed from the form. Another assignment for the “Traffic Crash Records and Information Systems” emphasis area team will be to determine what data collection methods are appropriate and applicable. As the prices of technology have continued to drop, very low-cost GPS devices can now be deployed in all vehicles. This would allow law enforcement personnel to easy locate all future crash scenes. The use of FHWA 402 Safety funds for the purchase of equipment to help law enforcement agencies to collect better crash data is something that also should be explored. It should be noted that when Florida’s Strategic Highway Safety Planning efforts were being initiated, it became apparent that “Aggressive Driving” and “Distracted Driving” were areas that the partner agencies believed needed emphasis. However, there was little data about the prevalence of aggressive or distracted driving crashes. Therefore, modifications were made to Florida’s crash form and statutory language was added regarding aggressive driving and distracted driving crashes. Florida’s crash report form now has check boxes for aggressive driving and distracted driving. With this data, Florida is now able to track the trends in this emphasis area so that data-driven decisions can be made. It is recommended that Puerto Rico similarly revise the crash form as necessary to track and monitor all of the SHSP emphasis areas. Florida’s law-enforcement agencies also have been successful in embracing the technology available to more easily document traffic crashes. Virtually all law-enforcement vehicles have on-board laptop computers that can communicate in real time to their dispatch/command centers. Thus, when officers arrive on-scene, they are able to enter the data for the crash form into their onboard computer. Many of these agencies also have GPS integrated into 3 8 38 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review the vehicle for fleet management and can pull the crash location information from the on-board GPS into the crash data form. At a minimum, many modern digital cameras and/or smart phones have the capability to store a photo’s location information within the .jpg file format. Thus by simply taking a picture of a crash scene, the police officer could be collecting location data that can be used to help locate the crash into a GIS-based crash analysis system. At a minimum, PRPD should begin collecting crash photos of all fatal and severe injury crashes that can be analyzed to determine their coordinates. Another significant help for Florida has been the use of close-range photogrammetry in the analysis of serious crashes. The Florida Highway Patrol now uses close-range photogrammetry to gather location data quickly and efficiently at crash scenes. This technology reduces the on-scene time for a crash investigator dramatically. Rather than several hours to measure all of the crash data using total station methodology, the use of photogrammetry can allow for all the measurements to be taken in a matter of minutes. 3 9 39 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 6. Conclusions This report provides an information baseline for the current highway safety practice in Puerto Rico. In addition, it provides a high level understanding of the different planning and execution tools used by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to improve safety on the highway system. As such, a review of the long, mid and short term transportation plans as well as the traffic data gathering tools and protocols was performed. The following bullets present the conclusions and/or recommendations based on the review of the before mentioned documents, interviews, and assessment of electronic tools and crash databases. For additional conclusions and recommendations related to transportation plans, crash databases, and others, please refer to the finding and recommendations section within this report. Based on the information obtained, there are limitations on the data gathering process, the integration between sources of information and data, the application of GIS maps, among others. With the exception of the PR CMV Safety Plan, the plans include improvement to the crash database as part of the Emphasis Areas/strategies. Most of the plans use FARS data, as other databases that include injury crash information became available recently. Continuous update of the crash databases and the quality of the crash data is of upmost importance. The data gathering process may benefit from GPS and other electronic tools that facilitate the location of crashes and the flow of information without the need of additional manual data entry. The current STIP for FY 2013-14 presents a series of Safety Improvements projects meeting the requirements of MAP-21. However, there is an opportunity for prioritizing projects by implementing severity indices, and performing RSAs, together with incremental Benefit Cost Analyses (BCA). There are opportunities to refine the prioritization process in the short term by using the KABCO system, the severity index and by improving the location of the accidents in the database. Each planning document follows a unique format in terms of goals definition, strategies, areas of emphasis, metrics, years of execution, etc. There is an opportunity to set guidelines at the state level to unify these parameters. There is very limited information regarding EMS in the Transportation Plans. The LRTP seems well coordinated and in agreement with the MAP-21 requirements. There is a consensus in all plans for addressing behavior driving for achieving a reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. All transportation plans, to a larger or smaller degree, make reference to driver behavior as critical. The PR CMV Safety Plan and the HSP from the PRTSC emphasizes the need for establishing regulations to continuously improve in safety. Both, the HSP and the Interim SHSP recognize the importance of the EMS as part of the Four Es to reduce fatalities and serious injuries. The LRTP and the PR CMV Safety Program do not incorporate EMS as part of their plans. 4 0 40 PUERTO RICO STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN Highway Safety Literature Review 7. References Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority (PRHTA). “Interim Strategic Highway Safety Plan” (2013), San Juan, PR. Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission (PRTSC). “Puerto Rico Highway Safety Plan FY 2014”,(2014) San Juan, PR Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission. “Problem ID”, (2014), San Juan, PR Puerto Rico Public Service Commission. “ Safety Action Plan for the Puerto Rico Public Service Commission Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program”, (March, 2014), San Juan, PR Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority (PRHTA). “2040 PR Islandwide Long Range Transportation Plan” (September 2013), San Juan, PR National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (2014). “FARS Analytical User’s Manual 1975-2012.” Publ. DOT HS 811 855, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC. University of Alabama. Center for Advanced Public Safety (2009). “CARE – Critical Analysis Reporting Environment.” http://caps.ua.edu/care.aspx, Accessed March 2014. The TMC Qualitative (TMCQ). (2013a). “Campaign Effectiveness Study of the Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol: Pre-campaign vs. Post-campaign Report.” Final Report, Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission, San Juan, PR. The TMC Qualitative (TMCQ). (2013b). “Puerto Rico Observational Seat Belt Use Survey 2013.” Final Report, Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission, San Juan, PR. 4 1 41
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