The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) safety data and analysis research studies how to use safety data to inform highway investment decisionmaking at all levels of Government. Safety data and analysis research is used to define what types of data should be collected and how they should be collected. Useful data are used to analyze the performance of safety improvements and promote promising projects. Research results are shared with local, State, and Federal safety programs to systematically combine and analyze crash data and roadway characteristics to uncover trends and identify high-priority safety needs. Only with good data and tools can agencies build, implement, and objectively evaluate performance-based safety plans.

Program Objectives:

• Research and develop new methodologies and tools for safety data collection, management, analysis, and evaluation.
• Increase the utilization of proven methodologies and tools for safety data collection, management analysis, and evaluation.
• Broaden the integration of safety data and analysis into planning, programming, and project development processes.
• Improve understanding of the benefits of safety data-driven decisionmaking.
• Advance safety data and evaluation as a means of supporting transportation performance management and databases of roadway and crash information.