THE USES OF COORDINATES FOR ACCIDENT LOCATION AND AS A TOOL FOR ANALYSIS

THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO FIND A WAY OF REPORTING THE LOCATION OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. THE SYSTEM SETTLED UPON IS THE USE OF COORDINATES BASED UPON UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS) 7.5 MINUTE MAPS, WHICH ARE RELATIVELY UP TO DATE, COVER THE ENTIRE STATE, ARE CONSTANTLY BEING UPDATED, AND ARE THE MOST ACCURATE OF ANY MAPS. THEY CONTAIN THE SYMBOLS FOR PRACTICALLY ALL OF THE RURAL CULTURE AND A GREAT MANY FOR THE PHYSICAL FEATURES, WOODED AREAS, DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, DIFFERENCES IN ELEVATION AND THE TOWNSHIP, RANGE, AND SECTION LINES. AFTER FINDING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE CULTURE AND LAND ON THE MAP, AN OFFICER CAN REPORT THE POINT BY SETTING DOWN THE NUMBER OF FEET IT IS EAST AND NORTH OF 2 LINES. IN URBAN AREAS THE OFFICER WAS ASKED TO REPORT THE PLACE IN TERMS OF HOUSE NUMBERS, STREET INTERSECTIONS OR ALLEYS TO A CLERK WHO HAD THE MAP BOOK. THE SYSTEM WAS TESTED IN MONROE COUNTY, INDIANA FOR 3 MONTHS. SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE ACCIDENTS WERE REPORTED AND THE REPORTS WERE ADEQUATE TO LOCATE ALL BUT 6. THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING GIVEN THE OFFICERS WAS MINIMAL. VISUAL AIDS FOR TRAINING WILL FOLLOW BEFORE THE SYSTEM IS INSTALLED FOR THE STATE, AND A MECHANICAL TEST WILL BE BUILT IN FOR ERRORS OFF THE ROAD. THE ATTITUDE OF THE POLICE TOWARD SUCH REPORTING IS DISCUSSED. THERE ARE 2 THINGS WHICH COULD BE DONE TO GREATLY IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF OFFICE PLOTTING OF COORDINATES: AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REACH OFFICERS FILLING OUT REPORTS AS TO THEIR SIGNIFICANCE, AND TO REACH THE PUBLIC, AND THE PREPARATION OF BETTER LOCAL MAPS. IT IS STRESSED THAT TO BE ABLE TO RELATE THE PLACE TO THE ACCIDENT OPENS THE DOOR TO INDENTIFYING THE SIZE OF THE ROAD FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT. THE COORDINATE SYSTEM IS SUITABLE. /AUTHOR/

• Corporate Authors:

  Indiana University, Bloomington

  107 S Indiana Avenue
  Bloomington, IN  United States  47405
• Authors:
  • Stoner, J E
  • Johnson, P C
• Publication Date: 1966

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coordinates; Crash reports; High risk locations; Location; Police; Topographic maps; Traffic crashes; Training
• Old TRIS Terms: Geologic maps (Aerial)
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220822
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15 pp
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 26 1970 12:00AM