Gov. Bob McDonnell announced on Wednesday the first phase of a new online interactive database of state crash information that is free and open to the public. The state-of-the-art automated Traffic Records Electronic Data System centralizes Virginia’s crash data and related information from multiple agencies into one location.
Now, for the first time, the public can access the system through the Department of Motor Vehicles, www.dmvNOW.com/highwaysafety, to search for general information about crashes statewide or in a specific locality. Users can create custom reports with data fields including date ranges, fatalities and injuries, report type, statewide or specific locality. No personal driver information is published.
“Multiple agencies combined efforts to create this efficient electronic method of collecting, storing and providing access to this important government information,” McDonnell said. “Previously, this information was stored by different agencies in different formats, making it hard for citizens to access. Now any Virginian, whether a safety advocate or a concerned citizen, can easily use this portal to look up comprehensive crash statistics in their communities.”
TREDS is Virginia’s “one-stop-shop” for accurate, timely and detailed highway safety information for analysis and reporting. TREDS data is used to support Virginia’s efforts to reduce crashes, injuries, fatalities and associated costs. Virginia now has one of the most effective and innovative information technology tools in the nation to identify and address the Commonwealth’s highway safety concerns.
Safety advocates can now study a more complete picture of crashes and their true impact on the Commonwealth. Vehicle crash data from DMV, crash location and road information from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), data from ambulances and other rescue vehicles, data from the trauma registry, hospital discharge data and vital records databases are all tied together under TREDS.
“Linking the data together in a common format is efficient and creates more comprehensive, accurate crash statistics,” said Richard Holcomb, DMV commissioner. “TREDS gives us a 360-degree view of crashes and their causes, which can aid in preventing future traffic fatalities.”
Future enhancements are already planned for the online database. In 2012, users will be able to create and sort crash reports by street location, age and gender of individuals injured or killed.
The digital collection and storage functions of Virginia’s TREDS have been recognized nationally. The system was selected for the 2010 Microsoft Technical Case Study for Government Solutions. Also, members of the TREDS team were interviewed by a subcommittee of the U.S. Congressional House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for a report on State Technology Best Practices. In addition, TREDS was selected as the best practice among 16 other states and Washington, D.C. in a study conducted by the I-95 Corridor Crash Data Collections and Reporting Systems. Most recently, TREDS was awarded Honorable Mention during the 2010 Governor’s Technology Awards.
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