Traffic Safety Study Grant Awarded
Groundbreaking project aims to explore the link between traffic enforcement levels, types of enforcement activities, and traffic safety.
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UMTRI Researchers Secured Major Grant for Traffic Safety Study
Researchers Colleen Peterson and Carol Flannagan from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) have been awarded a substantial grant of nearly $600,000 from the Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program (BTSCRP). Their groundbreaking project aims to explore the link between traffic enforcement levels, types of enforcement activities, and traffic safety.
Joining forces with A.J. Million of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the team is conducting nationwide data collection to triangulate motor vehicle crash data and enforcement data. This will allow them to evaluate nuanced relationships between traffic enforcement and safety outcomes.
Peterson expressed confidence in the project’s goals, stating, “Our goal is to develop a decision tool and related recommendations. With feedback from stakeholders, we hope to ensure these are maximally effective, tailorable, and easy to implement.” This tool will help law enforcement and planners achieve optimal safety goals in constrained resource settings.
The anticipated results of this study are an evidence-based tool and a set of strategic recommendations aimed at helping jurisdictions efficiently allocate funds. This will enable a strategic focus on enhancing traffic safety while aligning with both community safety priorities and budget constraints.
The project commenced in July 2024. They have just been given the green light to head into Phase II.
Stay tuned for updates on this vital research that seeks to improve traffic safety for communities nationwide.