At A Glance
Noteworthy Characteristics
- Designed to identify traffic safety problem areas.
- Traffic safety may affect physical activity in specific locales.
- Nationally representative sample of crashes.
Website
https://www.nhtsa.gov/national-center-statistics-and-analysis-ncsa/crash-report-sampling-system-crss
Purpose
CRSS is used to estimate the overall crash picture, identify highway safety problem areas, measure trends, drive consumer information initiatives, and form the basis for cost and benefit analyses of highway safety initiatives and regulations in the United States (U.S.).
Target Population
Motor vehicle crashes reported to police in the U.S.
Conducted
Began data collection in 2016. Conducted annually. Most recent year conducted is 2018. Most recent year published is 2018.
Sponsor
National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation
Special Note(s)
The Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS) builds on the retiring, long running National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (NASS GES).
"Crashâ is defined as both collision and non-collision harmful events (e.g., rollovers, fires, damaging jack-knifes). It must involve at least one motor vehicle traveling on a traffic way, and the result must be property damage, injury, or death.
Information for each incident is obtained from the police accident report (PAR).
Similar system in NHTSA series: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
Contact:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Center for Statistics and Analysis
State Data Reporting Systems Division, NSA0120
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.
Washington, DC 20590
ncsarequests@dot.gov
800-934-8517
Sampling
Sample Design
Cross-sectional, multi-stage, stratified, probability sampling for a nationally representative sample.
Source of Information
Data are representative at the national level.
Sample Size
CRSS obtains its data from a nationally representative probability sample selected from the more than 7 million police-reported crashes that occur annually.
These crash reports are chosen from 60 selected areas across the United States that reflect the geography, population, miles driven, and crashes in the United States.
Key Variables
Demographic
| Name | Methods of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Age of drivers, other vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and/or cyclists involved in crash | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
Physical Activity-Related
| Name | Methods of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Collisions with pedestrians/cyclists and type of non-motorists involved | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
| Traffic control devices/signs in crash location (including those applicable to cyclists) | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
| Non-motorist action linked to crash (e.g., jaywalking, jogging, playing on roadway, walking against traffic) | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
| Non-motorist safety equipment used (especially by cyclists | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
Sleep-Related
| Name | Methods of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Involuntary falling asleep | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
| Social sleep environment: Sleep location (e.g., truck cab) | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
Geocode/Linkage
| Name | Methods of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Police jurisdiction for crash location | Police Accident Report (PAR) |
Data Access and Cost
Data Availability
After all personal identifiers are removed, information collected by CRSS is made available to other Federal agencies; State and local governments; universities; research institutions; the automobile, trucking, and insurance industries; and the general public.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Center for Statistics and Analysis
Data Reporting and Information Division, NSA0230
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.
Washington, DC 20590
800-934-8517
ncsarequests@dot.gov
Cost
Free of charge.
Special Note(s)
The most recent year for which data are available is not necessarily the most recent year this survey was conducted.
Geocode/Linkage
Geocode Variable(s)
Region, Urbanicity (rural/urban), police jurisdiction, driver zip code
Existing Linkages
The Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS) builds on the retiring, long running National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (NASS GES).
Special Note(s)
CRSS sample selection is independent from GES sample selection.
Selected Publications
Resources
Crash Report Sampling System: Design Overview, Analytic Guidance, and FAQs
