Have you ever paused to consider why the police investigate crashes? Collision reports play a major role in documenting the circumstances that surround accidents, but what is their purpose? Or, more accurately, what are the purposes of these reports?
Crash investigations and collision reports serve many purposes in today’s society. Certainly, they help to document the facts of a specific crash, such as driver information, location, and weather. They also include more complicated information, such as whether citations were issued, as well as accident diagrams. Insurance companies rely on these reports to evaluate accidents.
In addition to being used for purposes relating to a single crash, the information from collision reports is aggregated into data that is used for broader purposes.
For example, Caltrans uses aggregated crash data to improve highway infrastructure. Here are some examples:
- Recognizing that a sign is needed to warn drivers of a road condition;
- Determining that an intersection would benefit from the installation of a stop light; and
- Learning that a posted speed limit is too high for a particular stretch of highway.
Crash data is folded into practical experience to enable highway safety to be improved for the travelling public.
The states pass their crash data on to the federal government for use in evaluating road safety and potential improvements. When you see statistics about the prevalence of distracted driving or speeding, for example, the source is often the compilation of data from crash reports. Collecting and analyzing this data helps federal agencies identify threats to highway safety and take steps to improve it.
Car manufacturers also use aggregate crash data to improve their products. Reviewing vehicle factors that cause or contribute to crashes allows car makers to identify problem areas and to improve design or add safety features to avoid those problems in the future.
No one wants to be in a car crash. Unfortunately, accidents sometimes occur. If you need the advice of an experienced accident lawyer, contact the San Francisco personal injury attorneys at Alexander Law Group, LLP right away at 888.777.1776. Call today, as delay may harm your case.
