NHTSA Releases Updated Information on Motor Vehicle Crashes Occurring in 2010

Benjamin Smith
Principal Technical Analyst

MSC of MS

On December 8, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released updated fatality and injury data concerning motor vehicle crashes that occurred during 2010 (DOT HS 811 552). The most noteworthy finding was that the number of traffic fatalities fell to the lowest level since 1949. And with respect to NHTSA's findings from the previous year, the number of fatalities in 2010 dropped 2.9%. However, NHTSA found that fatalities in motor vehicle crashes involving large trucks during 2010 actually increased by 8.7% when compared to the prior year.

Viewing the updated NHTSA data from a regional perspective, and comparing data from 2010 to data from 2009, Mississippi saw an 8.4% decrease in motor vehicle crash fatalities in 2010. In Mississippi, 641 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2010, whereas 700 people were killed in traffic accidents during 2009. Louisiana saw an impressive decrease in motor vehicle traffic crash fatalities, with a 14% drop in 2010. However, Alabama saw a 1.7% increase in traffic crash fatalities, going from 848 fatalities in 2009, up to 862 fatalities in 2010.

To learn more, visit the NHTSA website.

New Alabama Office Location for MSC

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

MSC completed a local move last month to the Indian Hills Business Park, located in Pelham, Alabama. Our new office is approximately 2,000 square feet and has a 500-square-foot warehouse area in the back, with a drive-in door, making it easier and quicker for consultants to load and unload equipment and tools. In addition to our enjoying this larger, newer space, attractive landscaping, and numerous windows in every office, we are especially pleased to be located in the Pelham Police Department's jurisdiction.

MSC's phone numbers, fax, email addresses, and websites all remain the same. However, because we have a secure, keyed mailbox unit at our new location, we ask that you please mail all correspondence to our new physical address.

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants
2148 Pelham Parkway, Building 100-B
Pelham, AL 35124

It has been business as usual for us since we completed our office move on September 15th. Please visit our website for driving directions from your location to MSC's Alabama or Mississippi office.

Gov. Robert Bentley Awards $914,700 in Grants for Traffic Safety

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded grants totaling $914,700 to help increase roadway safety through educational and awareness campaigns focused on the importance of using safety belts and properly restraining children riding in motor vehicles, as well as on the dangers of drunk driving. Read the press release issued by the State of Alabama on 30 August 2011.

The following briefly describes how the grant funds will be put to use:

• A $200,000 grant to the Alabama Department of Public Health is funding the production of educational materials on seat belts and child restraint usage; funds are also being used for observational surveys that will measure compliance with safety restraint laws.
  
  
• A $214,700 grant to the North Alabama Highway Safety office, located at Northwest Shoals Community College, will fund the training of child passenger safety technicians in the state's nine Community Traffic Safety Program regions. Technicians are trained to teach parents and caregivers how to protect children in vehicles through the proper use of child restraint systems and safety belts.
  
  
• A $500,000 grant to the Alabama Development Office is funding a multimedia campaign against drunk driving. This campaign is occurring at the same time as the national Over the Limit, Under Arrest law enforcement campaign, which runs through Labor Day weekend.

The funding was made available by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the state Traffic Safety Trust Fund and is being administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

MSC of MS Hires New Forensic Science Intern

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

MSC of Mississippi is pleased to announce the hiring of Jarrod Smith as a new forensic science intern. Jarrod is a senior at The University of Southern Mississippi studying forensic science and physics. During his internship with MSC, Jarrod will earn college credit while serving as a technical assistant. Jarrod’s training in forensic science, physics, and mathematics will allow him to be an asset to MSC throughout his internship.

MSC of MS brought Jarrod on board by way of an existing partnership with the forensic science department at The University of Southern Mississippi. The Forensic Science Program at Southern Miss, led by Dr. Dean Bertram, is one of the top programs in the country. Once part of the Polymer Science Program at Southern Miss, the Forensic Science Program has quickly expanded over the last decade to become a prominent part of the university’s College of Science and Technology. In addition to hosting the International Forensic Science Academy, Southern Miss’ forensics department is constantly engaged in cutting-edge research and development.

Prior to his joining MSC of Mississippi as a forensic science intern, Jarrod had just returned from a class trip to Washington, D.C., where he visited the Central Intelligence Agency, the Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Capitol Police.

Volunteer Drivers Needed for World's Largest Field Study of Driver Behavior

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) is currently seeking volunteer drivers to participate in the SHRP 2 naturalistic driving study (NDS), the world's largest field study of driver behavior. Participants' vehicles will be outfitted with small video cameras and sensors that record the driver's face, forward and rear views, and a view of the driver's interaction with the dashboard and other systems. Participants' identifying data is protected and kept confidential, as described in the study's Informed Consent. To check if you may be eligible to participate, visit the SHRP 2 NDS website.

The objective of the SHRP 2 NDS is to collect real-world driving behavior data in order "to develop an understanding of how the driver interacts with and adapts to the vehicle, traffic environment, roadway characteristics, traffic control devices, and the environment."

The data resulting from the study will support activities aimed at reducing traffic-related fatalities, and it will aid public policy, rule-making, and more. It is anticipated that the data from the SHRP 2 NDS will be relevant to transportation safety researchers and others beyond the next 20 years.

Learn more about the SHRP 2 NDS.

Toyota, Lexus, and Scion Included in Latest Release of Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) Software

Benjamin Smith
Principal Technical Analyst
MSC of MS

Late last month, Bosch released the latest (and a highly anticipated) version of its Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) Tool software. The release of CDR Tool Version 4.0 was also accompanied by several pieces of new hardware. In addition to expanded coverage for the latest Ford and Chrysler vehicles, this release also includes all new coverage for Toyota, Lexus, and Scion.

The new coverage for Toyota, Lexus, and Scion includes more than 75 vehicle models dating back to 2006 that had not been covered with previous versions of the Crash Data Retrieval Tool software. Depending on the specific vehicle model, the data from these vehicles can include pre-crash parameters such as vehicle speed, braking status, engine speed, accelerator rate, and seat belt status.

While the specific types and amounts of data vary by vehicle model, downloads retrieved by vehicles via the Crash Data Retrieval system can be of great value to an accident reconstruction or accident investigation.

If you have questions about CDR downloads or specific vehicle model coverage, please contact us. MSC's staff in Alabama and Mississippi is trained and certified in the retrieval, preservation, and analysis of CDR data.

View a complete listing of vehicles covered by CDR Tool Version 4.0.

"Green" Drivers: Proceed with Caution

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Every year, close to 11,000 "green" drivers - teen and young adults ages 15-24 - die in motor vehicle accidents. This is the equivalent of an airplane-full of young people dying each week.

At the "Alive at 25" defensive driving class, put on by the National Safety Council (NSC) and State Farm Insurance, in Birmingham, Alabama, June 14-16, 2011, instructor Janice Leverette told an audience of teen drivers that "the person right next to you is 'the other person.'" And that YOU are the "other person" to everyone else. She explained that you cannot make assumptions about what other people on the road are going to do.... You don't know what they are thinking, or what challenges they are facing behind their own steering wheel. However, while you can't control other drivers, it is your number one responsibility to control yourself and your vehicle. In order to arrive at your destination alive, you need to stay alert, attentive, and understand the hazards and consequences of what you do. Because no one plans to get into an accident.

During the class, the teens shared some of the challenges they've experienced and observed as new drivers. Distractions, lack of experience, "other people" on the road, inattention, arrogance, and feeling like certain rules of the road are "optional" were just some of the challenges this group has witnessed.

"Alive at 25" is an important and valuable class. As an adult sitting in on the class, it was a real eye-opener - and it served as a huge reminder to me that defensive driving is imperative. Something that surprised me (and also took me back down memory lane to my own teen years), was listening to the teens report having seen a number of seriously risky driving behaviors.

Bearing in mind that the oldest teens in today's class were 17, here are some of the things these young adults reported having SEEN other drivers doing: using drugs and/or alcohol, texting and using iPods while driving, dancing in the car, driving "crazy" for "fun," and taking risks for the thrill of it. As Ms. Leverette pointed out to the group, "you are your number one risk on the road." However, you should make the choices that will allow you to survive to grow old.

Strategies that were discussed in the class to help drivers be safer included:

• Keeping a following distance of at least three seconds;
• Slowing down in road construction zones;
• Paying attention while on the road and especially during poor weather conditions;
• Being very careful of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, and also slow-moving vehicles;
• Not participating in distracting activities;
• Watching out for hazards and having a plan;
• Not speeding;
• Taking responsibility for your decisions;
• Buckling up every time you get in a vehicle.

The class participants were very engaged in the class, and they participated actively with each other. I believe the class was very successful in presenting powerful material to teens in a way that was both candid and meaningful.

It's not too late to register for one of tomorrow's sessions of Alive at 25; tomorrow's sessions are geared to new drivers and attendance is free. The sessions will take place at 2125 Data Office Drive, Suite 102, in Hoover, Alabama. There is a session tomorrow at 8am and another one at 1pm. The class is three hours long. Refreshments are provided, and each participant receives a t-shirt and a red thumb ring to serve as a reminder to not text and drive. Call 1-800-457-7233 to sign up or to learn more.

If you can't make it for these new-driver sessions of "Alive at 25," there will be more offered this October during Teen Driver Week. However, the class is also offered to experienced drivers, as well as to people who have received moving violations. To view contact information for signing up or learning more, please visit the National Safety Council’s Alabama Chapter online.

Technology Aside, Driver Safety is Top Priority for NHTSA

Kevin Jones
Technical Analyst
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

With so many telematics and smart phone technologies built into today’s automobile, what’s possible seems limitless. More and more, it looks like we’re closing the gap between what Hanna-Barbera’s The Jetsons envisioned in the 1960s and where we are now.

Nevertheless, all of this technology is not as openly welcomed as you might think. While there is a lot of excitement about new technologies and their being incorporated into automobiles, some safety advocates would like to see more restraint.

On June 9, 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Administrator, David L. Strickland, spoke at the 2011 Detroit Diesel conference in Novi, Michigan. Mr. Strickland praised the use of vehicle technology that supports such functions as vehicle maintenance and also the use of navigation systems to help first-responders in the event of vehicle crashes. However, he made it clear that he does not support technologies that are distracting to drivers. In Mr. Strickland’s presentation, titled "USDOT Sheds Lights on Driver Distraction Issues (Crucial Session)," he expresses that while drivers’ connecting to all the new technologies in their vehicle is not necessary, some vehicle owners still very much embrace the technologies being added to vehicles.

In May 2011, at the Association for Safer International Road Travel Annual Gala Fundraiser, in Washington, D.C., Mr. Strickland spoke about the need for crash avoidance technologies. In his remarks, Mr. Strickland says, “Crash avoidance technologies provide an opportunity to save lives and reduce injuries by supporting the driver and preventing crashes from occurring in the first place.” He also puts forth that vehicle to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication are two possible ways to help reduce the number of automobile crashes.

However, at the same time that these safety applications are making a positive difference in reducing crashes, and while their use is being encouraged, NHTSA is simultaneously “taking a hard look at these systems” and challenging both the auto industry and cell phone industry to work hand-in-hand with federal transportation officials “to keep the driver on their required task: driving.”

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 5

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The final session of the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle Event Data Recorder (EDR) Symposium - a fine event - was the second Unique Applications.

The first speaker was Dave Plant from Washington, D.C. Mr. Plant spoke about research with the new DDEC 10 ECM system. Impressively, he was able to not only describe the new attributes of the DDEC 10, but he also compared this new system to the results of both SAE 2010-01-1004, which he co-authored (dealing with power loss and key signal requirements) and SAE 2001-01-0808, which dealt with data retrieval methods in other Detroit Diesel engines (and which Dave was the lead author of). Most interestingly, the DDEC 10 is a three-module system, with an additional module that controls emissions.

The second speaker was John Brophy from NHTSA. Mr. Brophy discussed the NHTSA NASS, SCI, and CIREN programs. These projects are currently collecting data, including EDR data, on thousands of crashes each year to be used in various highway safety projects (such as Dr. Gabler's work, which was discussed on Day 1). For example, between 2007-2009, NASS and SCI conducted 21,000 vehicle inspections, collecting approximately 600 data points per crash.

The third speaker was yours truly, discussing driver braking behavior in heavy vehicle (HV) crashes. My research attempts to use HVEDR data for the purpose of determining the characteristics of HV operator braking responses in crash and near-miss events. The research was able to demonstrate similar braking behavior between the HV operators and research respondents in testing of passenger vehicle drivers.

The final speaker was Balaji Yelchuru, who discussed using EOBR and on-vehicle technologies for green transportation. There seems to be a great deal that electronic real-time data can do, not just for our immediate safety as road users, but also for our environmental health and well being.

Well, that's a wrap. I hope those who followed my live-blogging found it enjoyable, and I hope to see you at future SAE events!!!

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 4

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Wrapping up the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium are two sessions on "Unique Applications." The first of these is on Video Data Recorders. The speakers are from two video providers (DriveCam and SmartDrive) and two universities - Virginia Tech and the University of Iowa.

The first speaker is Robert Bartels from DriveCam. One of DriveCam's goals is to provide video that can be used as a training tool to improve performance and teach drivers better behavior and skills. DriveCam works on the following progression: capture risky behavior, upload triggered events, review and analyze, provide to company, coach driver, driver returns with better skills or understanding. DriveCam boasts cost savings for collisions up to 80% for clients, and fuel and maintenance savings of up to 12%.

The second speaker is Matthew Camden from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). Mr. Camden is discussing the combination of Onboard Safety Monitoring systems (OBSMs) with behavior-based safety methods. VTTI studied the implementation of DriveCam in commercial vehicles for two fleets in the US (50 drivers per fleet). Based on their study, the combination of monitoring and coaching produced statistically significant safety benefits (fewer crashes and near misses).

The third speaker is Dr. Daniel McGehee from the University of Iowa. He is speaking by way of video feed. Dr. McGehee is describing the integration of Video Data Recorders (VDR) (like DriveCam and SmartDrive) into the Automatic Crash Notification system. VDR systems have several advantages over other systems, largely because they are capable of providing more information on the context surrounding the crash.

The video feed itself was the one disappointment - otherwise the Symposium has been carried out flawlessly. The problem appears to be that the internet connection speed isn't good enough to support voice + video, and only about every third word of Dr. McGehee's has been audible. The disappointment really is that I've read quite a bit of Dr. McGehee's work, and I was greatly looking forward to his presentation. However, the session organizer, Ms. Freund, announced that Dr. McGehee will be recording an audio file to supplement his PowerPoint.

The final speaker is Jason Palmer from SmartDrive. SmartDrive has a database of 38 million safety critical events, which they use to evaluate driver behavior. Like the other presenters in this area, Mr. Palmer is speaking to the benefits of video monitoring with driver coaching. One of the biggest value-added attributes of these systems (both DriveCam and SmartDrive) is that these companies have gone to great lengths to make the data very easy for the safety manager (coach) to understand and then communicate with drivers.

Visit SAE's page to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 3

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

We're into the home stretch of an excellent conference, and the first session after today's lunch is Passenger Car Event Data Recorder (EDR) Applications.

The first speaker is Michael Varat from KEVA Engineering. Mr. Varat is discussing a method of modeling and completing an incomplete crash pulse in passenger vehicle EDR data sets. In this case, the RCM from a Ford captured a portion of the crash pulse, but not the entire pulse. Mr. Varat's presentation uses the techniques for crash pulse modeling, or curve fitting, that are described in his 2000 SAE Technical Paper. This is super cool! Mr. Varat mentioned that the technique he is describing will be the subject of a 2012 SAE paper. I am looking forward to reading it!

The second speaker is Dr. Matthew Craig of NHTSA, who is discussing Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN). The goal is to get the "right person to the right place, at the right time." This means getting those who are seriously injured to a Level 1 Trauma Center. This is extremely important and useful information. Having worked in law enforcement and been a first responder to quite a few crashes, I'm well aware of how difficult it can be for medics and officers to respond appropriately and make good triage decisions. EDR data may be highly beneficial to AACN algorithms. NHTSA is working with the CDC on estimating the benefits of AACN, as well as the implementation of AACN systems to the level of the 911 center.

The third speaker is Tony Reed from TRL in the United Kingdom. Mr. Reed is discussing the EDR experience in the UK. Most EDRs are purpose built Incident Data Recorders and have been used mostly by emergency responders (police, fire, ambulance). Less than 1% of the UK fleet are US vehicles, based on Mr. Reed's research. In spite of the small numbers, TRL has taken a leadership role in EDR data acquisition and analysis in the UK, and has purchased the CDR Tool.

Mr. Reed discussed a case where the Thames Valley Police called on TRL to use the Bosch CDR Tool. (I am jealous by him stating that in the UK, all police agencies use Total Stations and will be moving to 360 degree laser scanners.) The case involves a Chrysler 300 that struck a slow-moving vehicle on the M40, west of London. Mr. Reed was able to cross-check the EDR data using both HVE Software and also with CCTV that was active on the Motorway. Using these techniques, Mr. Reed and TRL were able to validate the EDR, and the striking driver pled guilty to Careless Driving Causing Death, "in the face of overwhelming evidence." Very neat stuff!

Over the last two days, I've had the great pleasure of speaking with Mr. Reed at some length on the subject of electronic tachographs that are mandated by the EU and in use throughout Europe. Seeing the type of data mandated and available in the EU has been very interesting.

The last speaker in this group is Cleve Bare of Exponent, who is discussing the potential issues with Serial Bus latency as pertaining to pre-crash data. Mr. Bare and his colleagues instrumented a test vehicle and demonstrated that the speed shown at Time = -1 occurred at random intervals, evenly distributed at any point in the final second before algorithm-enable. The vehicle speed was accurate to within approximately 1 mile per hour. Their hard braking runs showed wheel slip as would be anticipated in such circumstances.

Visit SAE's page to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 2

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The second session today is "Commercial Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (and Supplier) Perspectives," with speakers from Daimler Trucks, Volvo Trucks, Navistar, and Meritor Wabco.

The first speaker is Paul Menig from Daimler Trucks North America. Mr. Menig is discussing Safety from Start to Finish. He points out that a heavy vehicle has approximately 10 computers (engine, transmission, ABS, and so on). He points out that the general trend in the trucking industry has been for new technology to begin as an aftermarket option and then move toward greater integration (prep package, pre-delivery) until it becomes an OE factory option.

The next speaker is Timothy LaFon from Volvo Trucks North America. Mack and Volvo are headquartered in Greensboro, NC. The major control units on these vehicles are ABS, Airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), EECU and VECU (Engine and Vehicle Electronic Control Units, respectively). There is also a light control module. He points out that ECUs were not developed for accident or crash investigations, and that physical data need to be considered as well as electronic data.

Beginning in 2002, Volvo does have "freeze frame" data associated with fault codes. Mr. LaFon announced that Volvo DOES HAVE INCIDENT LOGGING. The Volvo EDR, which begins in 2010, has two events: one associated with a Last Stop and one associated with a wheel speed trigger of 10mph/sec. There is one fault associated with VECU faults and one with EECU faults. These have 60 seconds of pre-event and 30 seconds of post-event data at 4Hz.

Airbag control units can be downloaded but need to be sent back to Europe. ABS and ESC systems should be downloaded by the supplier (e.g., Bendix or Wabco).

THIS IS THE FIRST OFFICIAL, PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FROM VOLVO THAT THEIR TRUCKS HAVE AN EDR.

As of now, Mr. LaFon states that all Volvo VECU/EECU downloads must be handled by Tim Cheek (Delta-V Forensic Engineers) or John Steiner (KEVA Engineering). Mr. LaFon states that the reason for this is that they (Volvo) have concerns about data accuracy, evidence spoliation, and that Volvo has no method for selling the EDR Retrieval Tools to the public.

I think it's worth pointing out here that the engineering, research, and crash investigation community have successfully dealt with these very same issues with the other engine manufacturers' EDRs, including self-funding dozens and dozens of research papers over (literally) decades in light vehicle and heavy vehicle EDRs. Ironically, most of that research has been published though SAE.

The third speaker is Alan Korn from Meritor Wabco. Mr. Korn is describing the data monitoring system that Meritor Wabco offers called Safety Direct. This system can monitor and record driver behavior and alert a safety manager of aggressive driving. Safety Direct monitors and records events (10 seconds before and after), and can include video. It can be downloaded directly from the vehicle or it can be uploaded by a telematics system.

The final presentation in this group is from Eric Swenson of Navistar. Mr. Swenson is discussing the electrical, mechanical, space, and power requirements for a J2728-compliant HVEDR.

Visit SAE's page to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 1

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The second day of the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle Event Data Recorder (EDR) Symposium kicks off with a morning session on international perspectives on EDRs. Speakers from Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Japan will be up this morning.

The session begins with Ralph-Roland Schmidt-Cotta from Continental GmbH in Germany. Herr Schmidt-Cotta is covering the historical background of EDRs. This history goes back to 1971, when mechanical tachographs were mandated in the European Economic Community. In 1973, the German Traffic Court Conference called for an Accident Data Recorder. Currently, the EU is attending to vulnerable road users (cyclists and motorcycle users) because fatalities among these road users are increasing relative to the number of overall fatalities. EDR technology may assist in these incidents. The European Parliament will be considering several bills that may require EDR technology in Europe for accident research, but the use of EDR data in civil and criminal proceedings will likely be left to the national level.

The second speaker, from the Japan Automotive Research Institute (JARI), is Nobuyki Uchida. His presentation is Human Error Analysis in Pedestrian Incidents. In Japan, pedestrian accidents account for approximately 35% of fatalities. In response to this, JARI conducted a naturalistic driving study using video recorders. Five video cameras were linked to vehicle onboard data, such as speed pulse and brake activations. Based on their research, attentional allocation and temporal obstructions were causal factors in drivers making the incorrect decision that it was safe to turn. JARI will be working to develop pedestrian sensors that can assist drivers in avoiding these crashes.

The third speaker is Tobias Aberle, from AXA Winterthur in Switzerland. AXA implemented a crash data recorder for its customers and offered a 15% discount on insurance premiums. These crash recorders are specifically designed for capturing data after an incident, and they provide overwrite protection, backup power, and record at higher resolution during the crash than during the seconds leading up to and after it. This is quite nice, since it was designed for accident investigations. I am a bit surprised that the crash recorder is a robust accelerometer and doesn't include driver inputs such as throttle position or brake pedal position.

The final speaker of the first session today is Dr. Anders Ydenius from Folksam Research in Sweden. Dr. Ydenius has analyzed crashes with EDR-equipped vehicles between 1992 and 2008, with a specific focus on road design and its interaction with driver and occupant injuries. Crashes were analyzed by speed limit, crash type, friction conditions, and fixed object (for single vehicle crashes). One of the (several) interesting conclusions was that wire guardrails and W guardrails offer significant potential for injury mitigation over concrete barriers.

This is one of the coolest aspects of this seminar: having renowned international speakers from Europe and Asia offers excellent perspective.

Visit SAE's page to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

SAE EDR SYMPOSIUM: DAY 1, SESSION 4

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The last session of a great day in Danville, Virginia, is on standards development, beginning with SAE J1698, SAE J2728, and International Standards Organization (ISO) Activity.

The first speaker is Brian Everest, speaking on the objectives of the light vehicle Event Data Recorder (EDR) Standards Committee. The updated Standard will address the data, the tool, and the extraction. There are five task forces, focusing on: 1) updating the text and definitions to be current with new and future technology; 2) defining new future parameters and technologies (like brake pedal position!); 3) tamper resistance, physical integrity, and standard data retrieval communications; 4) recommended practices for any tool used for accessing the EDR; 5) ensuring data integrity.

That's a lot of beneficial work!

The next speaker is Carl Munch, speaking on test protocols for compliance with Part 563. This is the part of the committee's work that will ensure that data from EDRs are recorded and reported accurately, including synchronizing the parameters. The committee has looked at reporting of longitudinal delta v, max delta v, and time to max delta v.

The third speaker is Lee Lackey, from Noregon Systems, discussing the J2728 committee. This committee has developed the Standard for HVEDRs. There were four main groups in Tier 1, which is the first stage of the Standard: data definitions, data extraction, data file format, and event triggers. There were also groups for performance specs and survivability, which come into play more in Tier 2 than in Tier 1.

The J2728 Standard has 16 Header parameters, 1 Footer parameter, and 20 data elements. The data will be output into a CSV file that can be validated, and requires EDRs to have sufficient reserve power to write data in the event of a complete power failure. At this point, the Standard is in the final stages of meeting some requests from the NTSB.

The last speaker of the day is Joseph Marsh, from Ivy Consultancy, describing the International Standards Organization's activity with EDRs. These are under TC22 / SC 12 / WG7, the Traffic Accident Analysis Methodology group. This is mostly concerning the collection of aggregate EDR data.

This was an excellent day--very much worth the time and money. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

Visit SAE's page learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

SAE EDR SYMPOSIUM: DAY 1, SESSION 3

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Session Three of the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium has five speakers who are trucking safety professionals discussing their and their companies' experience with Electronic On-Board Recorders (EOBRs) and various Event Data Recorder (EDR) systems.

The first speaker after lunch was Jerry Waddell from Cargo Transporters. Mr. Waddell discussed their positive experience with Critical Event Reporting, especially in notifying management of hard brake events.

The second speaker is Brett Graves from Maverick Transportation. Maverick Transportation is using predictive modeling to enhance the safety of their fleet. Their predictive models have greatly reduced their reportable and preventable rates per million miles.

The third speaker is Michael Baker from Usher Transport. Usher Transport has had only five rollovers in the 27 years that Mr. Baker has been there in safety. WOW!!! Some statistics from his presentation: 1/5 rollovers have two contributing factors: inattention and drowsiness. 1/5 rollovers results from excessive cornering speed. Lowering a trailer three inches increases stability by 10%. More stats: freeway off-ramps account for 7% of rollovers; interstate highways account for about 31%. State highways account for the remaining 68%. Forty-seven percent of rollovers result from lane departures. Only 9% result from cornering too fast.

The fourth speaker is James Burg of James Burg Trucking Company (JBTC). JBTC uses Drivecam Video Event Recorders and hauls normal and oversized loads. JBTC uses Drivecam as a training tool and also in incident and crash investigations. It has helped with company policy compliance, driving safety, and driver training. JBTC really works to make their drivers better drivers.

The fifth speaker is Sam Faucette from Old Dominion Freight Line. Old Dominion is the largest LTL carrier using EOBRs. They use a list of several variables that are monitored in order to evaluate safe, efficient operations. Like the other companies, they are turning "data" into useful information.

All five companies represented have one thing in common. They view safety as a human issue and rely on the EDR systems as tools to help the safety manager make good decisions and improve driver performance. Although they each use different techniques and different tools, they are all focused on developing high quality, well-trained, professional drivers.

Visit SAE's page about this event to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 1, Session 2

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The second session is Passenger Car Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Event Data Recorders (EDRs). The first speaker is James Engle from Ford. His presentation is an overview of the Ford EDR systems (powertrain control module, restraint control module). He is discussing how Ford EDRs are changing to become Part 563 compliant. The most notable change from a crash investigation standpoint is that data won't be recorded on the PCM anymore.

Next speakers are from Chrysler: Lisa Fodale & James Bielenda. Ms. Fodale is describing the three phases of Chrysler EDRs (Phase 1: 2005-2007MY, Phase 2: 2008-2009MY, Phase 3: 2010-2012). She's provided a really good, succinct summary of the increasing amount of data supported in these EDRs. Mr. Beilenda provided a great segment on numerous applications of Chrysler EDRs. Both sections were great summaries of where these two manufacturers are with EDRs and Part 563 compliance.

Visit SAE's page about this event to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 1, Session 1

Bill Messerschmidt

Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research is an awesome facility. One really nice aspect of the room is that seating is at tables with five (comfortable) chairs. There's plenty of space, room for briefcases and backpacks, and the wifi is great! Opening comments from the Hon. Ann Ferro were delivered by video--tough to pull off, but with the technology in this building and the organizers' preparation, it came off quite well.

First speaker is Dr. Gabler from Virginia Tech. Dr. Gabler is discussing the "Big Picture" on light vehicle Event Data Recorders (EDRs). In general, the topic is how he and NHTSA are using EDR data to improve vehicle safety. It's pretty amazing, sitting here today, to think that 10 years ago Dr. Gabler was asked IF EDR data could be used for safety research. Personally, the most fascinating thing in Dr. Gabler's presentation is the use of EDR data for improving triage decisions after serious crashes.

Next speaker is Sandeep Kar. This presentation is about trends in telematics and urbanization. The topic of population growth patterns (mega cities to mega regions and mega corridors) affecting the development of new vehicle types is not a topic I've specifically thought about, but wow! There is incredible potential here for using telematics in a number of ways (including safety and compliance, but also emissions & logistics).

Third speaker is Joseph Kanianthra. Dr. Kanianthra is discussing the future of EDRs in safety. Ninety percent of primary causal factors are related to the operator: recognition errors, decision errors, erratic actions, fatigue, impairment, etc. Only 10% are primarily vehicle or roadway defect-related. The major idea of this presentation is that future injury and fatality prevention will be driven by prevention, more so than enhanced protection.

I think the moderator, John Hinch of NHTSA summed it up well: the big picture is bigger than any one person imagines.

Visit SAE's page about this event to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

US DOT Conducts Over 3000 Surprise Passenger Carrier Safety Inspections

Benjamin Smith
Principal Technical Analyst
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants of Mississippi

The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) announced on May 27 that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its local and state law enforcement agencies conducted over 3000 surprise passenger bus inspections during a two-week period in May. These inspections resulted in 442 out-of-service citations for 127 drivers and 315 passenger transport vehicles. Additionally, the FMCSA and state safety inspectors launched 38 full safety compliance reviews of commercial passenger bus companies.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, “During this heavy summer travel season, we will remain alert and remove from our roads any passenger bus or driver that places motorists at risk.” According to the US DOT, over the last five years, the number of unannounced commercial passenger bus roadside safety inspections and carrier compliance reviews has doubled. To learn more about this, read the US DOT news release.

In an effort to reduce all commercial motor vehicle crashes, the FMCSA has developed a new safety program called Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA). CSA includes a Safety Measurement System (SMS), which uses crash data and inspection results to identify unsafe motor carrier companies, including passenger carriers. The SMS system evaluates seven different safety performance categories, or BASICs (Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories). These are: Unsafe Driving, Fatigued Driving (Hours-of-Service), Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, Cargo-Related, and Crash Indicator.

The US DOT estimates that passenger carriers or buses transport 750 million people each year in the US. The most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that there were 221 bus-involved fatality crashes in 2009. The number of bus-involved fatality crashes has dropped steadily since 2006, when there were 305 fatality crashes.

Photo Enforcement Helping Bring Red Light Runners to a Stop

Kelly Messerschmidt

Technical Communications Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Because police can’t be everywhere at once, red light cameras are being used more and more to enforce motorists’ coming to a stop at red lights. In fact, studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and others have found a 40-96% reduction in the number of people running red lights at intersections using this type of photo enforcement. Watch a YouTube video about red light cameras.

The IIHS reports that, in 2009, crashes caused by red light runners resulted in 676 deaths and an estimated 130,000 injuries. Obviously, enforcing drivers’ stopping at red lights has great ramifications for public safety.

You might be surprised at just how common red light runners are. In a AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety telephone survey conducted in 2010, one-third of the drivers reported having run a red light in the past 30 days—even though 93% of them said they thought doing so was unacceptable if stopping safely was an option. Other studies cited by the IIHS report that about three drivers per hour run red lights at intersections lacking the red light cameras. See how your state’s automatic enforcement laws measure up.

Contrary to what some think, red light cameras do not actually take a photo of every car driving through a particular intersection. Instead, the camera automatically photographs any car whose driver runs the red light. Red light cameras have been used for decades and have proven to be extremely accurate and reliable.

What constitutes one’s running a red light? It’s pretty simple. Running a red light is defined as the driver entering the intersection after the light has turned red. However, those who inadvertently find themselves in an intersection when the light changes to red are not considered red light runners. Who are the most likely to run a red light? An IIHS study conducted in 2009 found that red light runners were more likely to be younger (under 30), male, and have poor driving records with incidents of prior crashes, alcohol-related driving convictions, and speeding and other moving violations.

Read Q&As from IIHS about red light cameras.

SAE to Hold 2011 EDR Symposium, June 6-8

Kelly Messerschmidt

Technical Communications Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) will hold an Event Data Recorder (EDR) Symposium at the Institute Conference Center, in Danville, Virginia, June 6-8, 2011.

MSC’s Bill Messerschmidt will be speaking at the EDR Symposium on analyzing driver behavior using HVEDR data, during the second Unique Applications session, on June 8^th. This year’s event marks the fourth EDR Symposium held since 1999.

The SAE 2011 EDR Symposium includes 38 speakers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden. These 38 speakers include university researchers, government researchers, trucking company executives and safety managers, industry engineers and executives, and consultants. Read about the speakers.

Technical sessions include Video Data Recorder applications, Standards Development, Passenger Car EDRs, International Activities, and Unique Applications.

You can learn more about the 2011 EDR Symposium at the SAE website. The links on the page include registration, travel, and exhibitor information, as well as speaker bios and descriptions of the technical sessions.

New Child Seat Study by the Pediatric Academic Societies

Kevin Jones

Technical Analyst

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Results from new research by the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) highlights potential safety hazards when it comes to children staying properly restrained in child seats. The study was led by Lilia B. Reyes, MD, clinical fellow in the Department of Pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine. PAS surveyed 378 parents with children ages six years and younger. Parents were asked when their children began to self-unbuckle themselves while in vehicle restraint systems.

The results from the study are as follows:

• 51% of the parents reported that their children unbuckled their child safety seats while in vehicles;
• 43% of the children that unbuckled themselves did so while the vehicles were in motion;
• 75% of the children unbuckling their child seats were three years of age or younger, with the youngest reported age being 12 months;
• More boys than girls unbuckled themselves (59% were boys; 42% were girls).

The study performed by PAS was a pilot study and does not address the issue of whether the child restraints were installed properly. Read more about the study, "Little fingers, big trouble," which was released on May 1, 2011.

Kevin Jones is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. He volunteers for Children's Hospital in Birmingham, where he installs child safety seats for the public. Email Kevin Jones.

Tuscaloosa and Montgomery, AL DPS Field-testing eWeight, Aiding Efficiency of Weight Crews

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Placing limits on how heavy a load a trucker can legally carry is a frequently debated issue. Facing pressure to move larger loads, some trucking operations view fines for weight limit violations as part of the price of doing business, and they haul heavier loads than they are permitted to.

Illegal overloads create serious problems for truck stopping distances, overall highway safety and the integrity of road pavements, and they also maximize demands on truck weight enforcement units. Without enforcement, law-abiding trucking companies face a competitive disadvantage when they comply with the law and others don't.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety (DPS), Motor Carrier Safety Unit weight crews in Tuscaloosa and Montgomery are currently field-testing eWeight, an electronic/paperless system for filing weight reports. EWeight will improve the efficiency of the DPS Motor Carrier Safety Unit by eliminating the many hours needed to manually input data from the 4000-6000 paper forms processed each month. In addition, the electronic system will help truckers by decreasing the amount of time spent at weigh stations and giving them more on-duty hours available to move freight.

EWeight automatically calculates axle weight, and the statistical information it generates will improve the efficiency of weight crews. The eWeight system follows other electronic systems such as eCite and eCrash, which were developed for the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC)’s Alabama Dashboards for Visualization, Analysis and Coordinated Enforcement (ADVANCE) program, by The University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS). Learn more about ADVANCE. Read an article about the Alabama initiative in the May 5, 2011 edition of The Blue Light.

Following the 4/27/11 Tornado Outbreak... How You Can Help

Bill Messerschmidt

Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The recent tornado outbreak spanning Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia was the deadliest outbreak in the United States since 1932. Considering the huge advances in communication and forecasting technology since the days of the Great Depression, the death toll is staggering.

The photo above was taken by Birmingham, AL resident Greg McNair of Aerial South just before the FAA declared a “no-fly zone” over most of Birmingham. View a larger image. The path of the tornado is clearly visible, from Concord, AL, in the bottom left, moving toward Downtown Birmingham in the top right.

People from far and near have been stepping up to help the victims of the tornado, as well as helping the families and communities located in and around its path. If you know of other organizations or charities collecting donations or other ways to help those in need, please leave the information as a comment to this post.

The needs are great. Here are some ways you can help.

Text REDCROSS to 909999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross, or visit the Red Cross online.

Text GIVE to 80888 to donate $10 to the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Teams, or visit The Salvation Army online.

Help Mission Birmingham: fill out Mission Birmingham's form online.

Give to Samaritan’s Purse.

Check out Toomers for Tuscaloosa on Facebook (even if you’re not an Auburn fan or alum). At the time of this posting, there are 73,682 people "liking" this page and helping out!

"Novice Mistakes" and Distracted Driving Among Teen Drivers

Garrick Infanger

Armstrong Forensic Engineers

MSC would like to thank our friends at Armstrong Forensic Engineers for this guest post.

Distracted driving is now a hot topic among both legislators and the press. Should car accidents resulting from texting be treated as a crime? Are anti-texting laws and service announcements effective?

Georgia's July 1, 2010 ban of texting while driving makes it one of 30 states with similar laws. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that there is some debate as to whether texting laws actually increase the rate of accidents as people attempt to text out of sight from police, actually furthering their attention from the roadway.

Utah recently passed a new law that penalizes drivers who text to the same degree as drivers who drink and drive. The New York Times reports, "In effect, a crash caused by such a multitasking motorist is no longer considered an 'accident' like one caused by a driver who, say, runs into another car because he nodded off at the wheel. Instead, such a crash would now be considered inherently reckless."

Even Oprah has gotten in on the debate with a campaign titled the "No Phone Zone." What else leads teen drivers into accidents? Should we be looking at other "novice driving" mistakes?

Tara Parker-Pope looks at teen drivers at her blog "Well":

Teenagers are notoriously bad drivers, accounting for 10 times as many crashes as middled-aged ones. But short of keeping them off the road entirely, is there a way to make their driving safer - for them and for the rest of us?

New research suggests that there is. A nationally representative sample of more than 800 crashes involving teenage drivers shows that almost two-thirds were due not to reckless behavior like speeding or joyriding but to three novice driving mistakes: failing to scan the road, misjudging driving conditions and becoming distracted.

Focusing on these three common mistakes could go a long way in improving teenage driving and reducing fatalities, said an author of the report, Dr. Dennis Durbin, co-director of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

With the encouraging news that truck-related fatalities continue to decrease, we can hope the state of teen drivers also improves with time.

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Garrick Infanger writes for the Forensic Engineering Hub, an engineering-focused blog sponsored by Armstrong Forensic Engineers.

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Photo Credit: Stuart Bradford