Evaluation of Florida crash data reported to MCMIS crash file

Abstract

This report is part of a series of reports 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 significantly incomplete. This report examines the sources of underreporting for the state of Florida. MCMIS Crash File records were matched to the Florida Police Accident Report (PAR) file to determine the nature and extent of underreporting. Overall, only 24.0% of reportable crash involvements are reported to the MCMIS Crash file. In addition, 14.8% of cases that are reported do not qualify for reporting. Reporting rates vary by vehicle type, crash severity, and reporting agency. Almost 56% of fatal involvements are reported, 26.5% of injury, transported involvements, and only 20.0% of towed/disabled involvements. Over 48% of the involvements of truck-tractors are reported, but only 6.0% of medium trucks, and less than 3 percent of buses. The reporting rate was highest for the Florida Highway Patrol at 31.9%. Sheriff’s offices reported at a 19.3% rate, and only 14.2% of reportable crashes covered by police departments were reported. A major contributor to underreporting is likely a reliance on an entry in the commercial vehicle only line of the Florida police accident report (PAR) to identify reportable vehicles. This is an error because the reportability criteria for the MCMIS file consider only vehicle configuration and crash severity, not operations. In addition, the structure of that line in the Florida PAR may favor interstate carriers, while the crashes of both interstate and intrastate carriers must be reported.