CCIS

Co-operative Crash Injury Study software

TRL’s software unit was commissioned to create new browser and data input systems for the Co-operative Crash Injury Study (CCIS). The new set of software replaced the previous systems and is fully compatible with the most recent crash data specification.

The Co-operative Crash Injury Study (CCIS) was concerned with the analysis of road traffic accident injury data collected from approximately 1,500 vehicles (and their occupants) each year. Crashes in seven separate areas were investigated, selected using criteria that concentrated on fatal and serious crashes.

The study started in 1983, and finished in 2010. In the final phase (phase 8) CCIS had 5 Sponsors, from government and the automotive industry (see below). Each of the sponsors use the CCIS data as part of their research and development strategies. TRL was the Project Manager for CCIS and as such was responsible for the quality of the data and the production of the cases.

Once a case was selected for inclusion in CCIS, a retrospective examination of the vehicle was carried out, questionnaires were sent to the individuals involved in the accident and injury details were obtained. (Data collection was subcontracted to research units at Birmingham and Loughborough Universities and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), which operated 5 teams). This information was then processed and the injuries were correlated against the damage to the car. After verification, the data was appended to the database, with each accident case comprised of up to 800 data items.

The browser software enables users to quickly and easily examine and print cases, perform complex queries and carry out simple data analyses. Each accident case includes photographs of the damaged vehicles and a number of sketches and diagrams, which can be browsed and viewed from within the software. The opportunity was also taken to present data in a more graphical way, and to include nomenclature reminders and diagrams wherever possible.

The associated data input software includes a management system that allowed users to create new crash cases and track their progress through to completion and dispatch. The data entry process was aided by the automatic generation of diagrams, injury codes and other calculated fields, full validation rules and checks and many other enhancements.

CCIS Sponsors in phase 8:

  • Department for Transport
  • Autoliv
  • Nissan Motor Company
  • Toyota Motor Company
  • Ford Motor Company