Evaluation of 2005 Ohio 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. 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 Ohio. This is the second MCMIS evaluation for the state of Ohio. Using 2005 data, MCMIS Crash file records were matched to the Ohio Police Accident Report (PAR) file to determine the nature and extent of underreporting. Based on this procedure, it is estimated that Ohio is reporting 42.5 percent of crash involvements that should be reported to the Crash file. This represents an improvement over the 35.8 percent reported in the first evaluation using 2000 data. Although the overall reporting rate was 42.5 percent, the reporting rate for carriers operating in interstate commerce was 79.1 percent, compared to 17.0 percent for intrastate carriers. Reporting rates also varied by crash severity, vehicle type, and reporting agency. The reporting rate for fatal involvements was 85.4 percent, compared to 52.7 percent for injured and transported involvements, and 32.3 percent for towaway. Crashes involving large trucks such as tractor semitrailers were more likely to be reported than single-unit trucks or buses. Crashes covered by the Ohio State Patrol were more likely to be reported than those covered by sherriff’s offices or local police departments. Ohio overreported 1,094 vehicles, or about 22 percent, to the MCMIS Crash file. Missing data rates are low for most variables, except in a few cases such as driver condition, road access, road trafficway, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Comparison of the vehicle configuration variable between the MCMIS Crash file and the Ohio Crash file is generally good.