Summary
In summary, a variety of data sources were examined for their potential for providing information on the safety of the emerging road and trail users that are the focus of this FHWA study. While there are advantages and disadvantages to each of the sources, the data available through the NEISS system operated by the CPSC appears to present the greatest advantages (see table 4). It is recommended that FHWA, NHTSA, and the CDC jointly sponsor a study using NEISS data and incorporating follow-back telephone interviews to gather comparative data on the crashes and injuries associated with these various user groups.
Table 4. Summary of advantages and disadvantages to the data sources reviewed.
| DATA SOURCE | ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
|---|---|---|
| NEISS | Nationally representative data. Publicly available. Ongoing, routine data collection. Current data. All types crashes, all locations. Special studies option. Relatively inexpensive. | Some limitations on data items routinely coded (e.g., insufficient detail on location of injury event, user experience). |
| Other Hospital-Based Data | Good for studying specific populations and specific problems. Many excellent studies already conducted. | Generally not representative sample of cases (except in larger trauma registries). Can be expensive. Data may not be publicly available. No opportunities to "customize" data collection elements; may not include desired data items. |
| Computerized Crash Data | Potentially large number of cases, at no additional cost. | Specific user categories generally not identified. |
| Wealth of additional crash event information available for analysis. | Limited to injuries resulting from collisions with motor vehicles on public roadways. | |
| Computerized Crash Narratives | Viable alternative for accessing relevant crash reports when user groups are not routinely coded. Provides case series descriptive data to help guide future research. | Few States maintain searchable narrative databases. Will underreport number of events. Limited to injuries resulting from collisions with motor vehicles on public roadways. |
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