DOT HS 811 051 December 2008 National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey (NMVCCS) FIELD CODING MANUAL This report is free of charge from the NHTSA Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov This publication is distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the interest of information exchange. The opinions, findings and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Department of Transportation or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The United States Government assumes no liability for its content or use thereof. If trade or manufacturers’ names or products are mentioned, it is because they are considered essential to the object of the publication and should not be construed as an endorsement. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. DOT HS 811 051 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey December 2008 Field Coding Manual 6. Performing Organization Code NVS-410 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)n code National Highway Traffic Safety Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE. 11. Contract of Grant No. Washington, DC 20590 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered National Highway Traffic Safety Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 14. Sponsoring Agency Code NVS-410 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE. Washington, DC 20590 15.Supplementary Notes Seymour Stern was the NHTSA Team Leader and Gary Toth was the NHTSA COTR for this project. 16. Abstract NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis has completed the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey. It is a Congressionally required nationwide survey of crashes involving light passenger vehicles, with a focus on the factors related to pre-crash events. A total of 6,949 crashes were investigated between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007. Of these, 5,470 cases comprise a nationally representative sample. The remaining 1,479 cases are suitable for clinical study. The data collected through the investigated crashes will better assist NHTSA and other safety advocates in evaluating and developing vehicle-related crash avoidance technologies. Each investigated crash involved at least one light passenger vehicle that was towed due to damage. Data was collected on-scene for at least 600 data elements in the crash to capture information related to the drivers, vehicles, roadways, and environment. In addition, the NMVCCS database includes crash narratives, photographs, schematic diagrams, vehicle information, as well as event data recorder data when available. This document describes the coding protocol used in the field to document the crashes. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey, This report is free of charge from the NHTSA Web site NMVCCS at www.nhtsa.dot.gov 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 500 Crash Screen Name: PSU Field Variable: .ORGID Label: PSU Remarks This variable reports the PSU (Primary Sampling Unit) that selected the case. This variable is assigned at login based on researcher name. It is system generated and cannot be changed at the PSU. Range: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 41, 43, 45, 48, 49, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 81, 82 Method: System generated value 5 10/29/2008 NMVCCS Field Manual Crash Screen Name: Case Number Field Variable: .CASENUMBER Label: Remarks The case number is entered by the researcher. It must be sequential with no blank numbers in the series. Each calendar year begins with case number 001. Range: Method: Enter a value _________________ 6 10/29/2008 NMVCCS Field Manual Crash Screen Name: Date of Crash Field Variable: CRASH.CRASHDATE Label: Crash Date Remarks This variable is replicated from the NOTIFYDATE field in the RESPONSELOG table entered through the NORL program. The value recorded here should equal the PAR crash date. Range: 1/1/2005 to _______ Cannot be future date. Method: Enter Date ____ ____/____ ____/ ____ ____ ____ ____ Sources: PAR 7 10/29/2008 NMVCCS Field Manual Crash Screen Name: PAR Time of Crash Field Variable: CRASH.TIME Label: Time Remarks This variable is replicated from the DISPATCHTIME field in the RESPONSELOG table which is entered through the NORL program. It is not editable in the NMVCCS software. Range: 0001 - 2400, 9999 Method: Enter time ______:______ Element Attrbutes: Field Value Unknown (99:99) 9999 Sources: CALCULATION REVIEWER ASSESSMENT 8 10/29/2008 NMVCCS Field Manual Crash Screen Name: Presence at Crash Scene Field Variable: PRESENCE.PRESENT_ON_SCENE Label: Presence at crash scene Remarks Prompt clearing of a scene presents issues to the NMVCCS. To determine the level of effort required from the researchers, it is important to record what is present at the scene on the arrival of the researcher. Select as many as apply. However, if "Not on-scene, nothing present" is selected then all other choices must be blank. Range: 2-7, 88, -77 Method: Fill all that apply Element Attrbutes: Field Value Not on-scene, nothing present -77 Select if none of the drivers or occupants of the qualifying intransport vehicles or nonmotorists involved in the crash, police, or EMS are at the scene when the researcher arrives. This attribute may be selected if the PSU has been given approval to initiate "follow-on" cases. Crash vehicles present 2 Select if any of the qualifying intransport vehicles involved in the crash are at the scene when the researcher arrives. Police present 3 Select if a police officer is at the scene when the researcher arrives. EMS present 4 Select if EMS is at the scene when the researcher arrives. Drivers present 5 Select if any of the drivers of the qualifying intransport vehicles involved in the crash are at the scene when the researcher arrives. Occupants present 6 Select if any of the occupants of the qualifying intransport vehicles involved in the crash are at the scene when the researcher arrives. Non-motorists present 7 Select if any of the nonmotorists involved in the crash are at the scene when the researcher arrives. Other present (specify) : 88 Select if another entity is present on scene that is not described in the preceding attributes. Describe completely in specify. Sources: SCENE INSPECTION 9 10/29/2008 NMVCCS Field Manual Crash Screen Name: Crash Level KABCOU Field Variable: CRASH.KABCOU Label: Crash level KABCOU Remarks The system selects the maximum value from the Vehicle and Nonmotorist level KABCO ratings. The Vehicle level is the maximum value KABCO based on the list of the Occupant PAR KABCO ratings in each vehicle. The ratings are ranked from K to No PAR obtained (5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 6, 7,10, -1111, -9999), highest to lowest. Max KABCO is assigned based on only the in-transport vehicles and non motorists in the crash. Range: 1- 7,10,-1111, -9999 Method: System calculated value Element Attrbutes: Field Value O - No injury 1 C - Possible injury 2 B - Non-incapacitating injury 3 A - Incapacitating injury 4 K - Killed 5 U - Injury, severity unknown 6 Died prior to crash 7 No PAR obtained -1111 No police accident report was created. Unknown if Injured -9999 10 10/29/2008 NMVCCS Field Manual Crash Screen Name: Event Number Field Variable: EVENT.EVENT_NUMBER Label: Event Number Remarks The time rank of the event in the crash sequence. This is precoded on the forms, The researcher should attempt to estimate the sequence of events as soon as possible in the investigation. The numbering of the vehicles is directly related to this number. A CDC entry is created only for inspected CDC/TDC applicable vehicles and impacts Range: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,-9999 Method: Fill a single item Element Attrbutes: Field Value 1 1 The first damage or injury producing event in the crash. 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 Unknown -9999 This should never be used. In extreme circumstances, usually in a large, multi-vehicle crash, the possibility exists that the order of specific events cannot be determined. Sources: RESEARCHER ASSESSMENT 11 10/29/2008 NMVCCS Field Manual Crash Screen Name: Vehicle Number Field Variable: EVENT.VEHICLE_STRIKER Label: Vehicle number Remarks Number the vehicles as they become involved in the crash events. This should be done at the time of the initial investigation. Assigning the vehicle and non-motorist numbers at the time of investigation will assist the researcher in reconstruction of the Pre-crash elements for each vehicle and may reduce the number of return visits to the scene, vehicle or re-interviews of drivers. Use the examples below as guidelines for vehicle numbering and classification. Include all vehicles and nonmotorists contacted by any of the first three in-transport vehicles or vehicles or objects set in motion during the events, which involve those vehicles. All road vehicles in the crash must be numbered. This includes vehicles that are not in transport or are classified working vehicles. Not in transport and working vehicles are defined in the General Vehicle and Other Vehicle sections of the manual in the In-transport variable. Examples: All vehicles are CDS applicable unless noted.