Evaluation of 2006 Maine crash data reported to MCMIS crash file

Abstract

This report is part of a series evaluating the data reported to the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) Crash File undertaken by the Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The earlier studies showed that reporting to the MCMIS Crash File was incomplete. This report examines the factors that are associated with reporting rates for the state of Maine. MCMIS Crash File records were matched to the Maine Crash file to determine the nature and extent of underreporting. Overall, it appears that Maine is reporting 72.0 percent of crash involvements that should be reported to the MCMIS Crash file. However, since Maine does not capture whether injuries are transported for treatment or whether vehicles were towed due to damage, proxies for these criteria were developed and the true reporting rate may be somewhat higher or lower. The rate is unlikely to be higher than the rate for fatal involvements, 83.3 percent. Reporting rates were related to crash severity, vehicle type and size, and reporting agency. Tractor-semitrailers were more likely to be reported than smaller trucks, and only 12.9 percent of buses were reported. Missing data rates are low for almost all variables. The data reported to MCMIS was quite consistent with that in the Maine Crash file, although there were some discrepancies with respect to truck configuration, likely because the method of categorization differs between the two files.