A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle Crashes

The coding of road crashes is designed to identify patterns of contributing factors for the development of countermeasures. In Australia, crash type is defined by the last vehicle movement before the first crash impact. This coding system was originally based on police data for motor vehicle crashes...

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Main Authors: Liz de Rome, Christopher Hurren, Thomas Brandon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Australasian College of Road Safety 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Road Safety
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.33492/JRS-D-24-4-2460607
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author Liz de Rome
Christopher Hurren
Thomas Brandon
author_facet Liz de Rome
Christopher Hurren
Thomas Brandon
author_sort Liz de Rome
collection DOAJ
description The coding of road crashes is designed to identify patterns of contributing factors for the development of countermeasures. In Australia, crash type is defined by the last vehicle movement before the first crash impact. This coding system was originally based on police data for motor vehicle crashes but did not distinguish between vehicle types. The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of current crash coding practice when applied to motorcycle crashes. This was a population-based study of 1,479 motorcycle crashes reported in Tasmania between 2013-2016. All crashes were recoded based on details from police reports and the revised codes were compared to those assigned by the road authority. The defining role of the last vehicle movement was suspended in cases where it excluded other prior contributing factors identified in the police report. Almost half of the motorcycle crashes were reclassified to incorporate additional information from the police reports including contributing factors or prior events that are characteristic of motorcycle crashes. These factors had been excluded in the original coding due to the last vehicle movement protocol. The last vehicle movement is not an appropriate method for classifying motorcycle crashes. Training in crash reporting for police and road authorities should include awareness of the different contributing crash factors for different vehicle types and the importance of accurate crash data for the development of targeted countermeasures. The addition of motorcycle specific crash categories and subcodes to the coding systems is also recommended.
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spelling doaj-art-976e8cdf4e294c5aadd4caa9340976ec2024-11-26T23:09:05ZengAustralasian College of Road SafetyJournal of Road Safety2652-42602652-42522024-11-01354A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle CrashesLiz de RomeChristopher HurrenThomas BrandonThe coding of road crashes is designed to identify patterns of contributing factors for the development of countermeasures. In Australia, crash type is defined by the last vehicle movement before the first crash impact. This coding system was originally based on police data for motor vehicle crashes but did not distinguish between vehicle types. The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of current crash coding practice when applied to motorcycle crashes. This was a population-based study of 1,479 motorcycle crashes reported in Tasmania between 2013-2016. All crashes were recoded based on details from police reports and the revised codes were compared to those assigned by the road authority. The defining role of the last vehicle movement was suspended in cases where it excluded other prior contributing factors identified in the police report. Almost half of the motorcycle crashes were reclassified to incorporate additional information from the police reports including contributing factors or prior events that are characteristic of motorcycle crashes. These factors had been excluded in the original coding due to the last vehicle movement protocol. The last vehicle movement is not an appropriate method for classifying motorcycle crashes. Training in crash reporting for police and road authorities should include awareness of the different contributing crash factors for different vehicle types and the importance of accurate crash data for the development of targeted countermeasures. The addition of motorcycle specific crash categories and subcodes to the coding systems is also recommended.https://doi.org/10.33492/JRS-D-24-4-2460607
spellingShingle Liz de Rome
Christopher Hurren
Thomas Brandon
A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle Crashes
Journal of Road Safety
title A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle Crashes
title_full A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle Crashes
title_fullStr A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle Crashes
title_full_unstemmed A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle Crashes
title_short A Review of the Accuracy of Crash Coding When Applied to Motorcycle Crashes
title_sort review of the accuracy of crash coding when applied to motorcycle crashes
url https://doi.org/10.33492/JRS-D-24-4-2460607
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