Write Up:

MoDOT’s first tangible result is to keep customers and ourselves safe. The greatest challenge in providing this is the recurring frequency of fatal crashes on Missouri roadways. In order to combat this, MoDOT utilizes a comprehensive data-driven analysis to identify the most common contributing circumstances of severe crashes. By identifying behaviors and characteristics most closely associated with these crashes, MoDOT can make more informed decisions to address the problem. Though the most common causes are related to human behavior, MoDOT can help implement solutions through education, enforcement and engineering to minimize poor decisions or the impact of the resulting consequences.

With 921 traffic fatalities in 2018, aggressive driving and unrestrained occupants are the leading behavioral issues in Missouri’s severe crashes. Aggressive driving includes speeding and driving too fast for conditions, which contributed to approximately 40% of the state’s fatalities. These poor driving behaviors have a direct impact on the occurrence of run-off road crashes, particularly in curves and intersection crashes. When coupled with the decision to not buckle up, the results are even more deadly. In the 2018 Seat Belt Survey, only 13% of Missouri roadway drivers and passengers were unbuckled. However, they accounted for 62% of the state’s fatalities. Another increasingly troubling behavior is distracted driving, particularly due to cellphones. While cellphone use is relatively difficult to capture in the crash data, reported cellphone crashes in Missouri are up 35% since 2014.

Through the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, MoDOT continues to program millions of dollars in safety improvements each year, including curve improvements, high friction surface treatment, paved shoulders, rumble strips and intersection improvements including J-Turns, turn lanes, roundabouts and pedestrian accommodations. These improvements are being identified through a data-driven, benefit-cost analysis to maximize the return on investment. In addition, MoDOT continues to invest in educational and enforcement programs to reduce the occurrence of poor driving behaviors. The Buckle Up Phone Down campaign now has more than 9,930 pledges from individuals and participation from more than 474 organizations. MoDOT will continue implementing programs to reach new audiences and improve the culture of highway safety in Missouri.

Purpose of Measure:

The measure tracks annual trends in motor-vehicle-related fatal resulting from the most common contributing factors or highway features. This data represents seven of the top focus areas presented in Missouri’s Blueprint to Save More Lives.

Measurement and Data Collection:

Missouri law enforcement agencies submit a vehicle accident report form to the Missouri State Highway Patrol to be entered into a statewide traffic crash database, which is part of the Transportation Management System. MoDOT staff query and analyze this data to determine the number of unrestrained occupants in crashes, how often aggressive driving, distracted driving, alcohol and other drugs contribute to crashes, and whether or not the vehicles ran off the road, the crash occurred in a curve or the crash occurred at an intersection.

The Highway Patrol experiences a lag in data entry each year which prohibits MoDOT from using current complete crash data. This lag is being reduced through a combination of efforts involving not only manual data entry, but also an increased emphasis in electronic data entry.