This project developed procedures to assess the existence and extent of under/over-reporting of impaired and distracted driving in crash data and to propose a methodology to improve the reporting of impaired and distracted driving in motor vehicle crashes.
Status: Complete (published as BTSCRP Research Report 19 in March 2026)
Strategies to Improve Reporting of Impaired and Distracted Driving in Motor Vehicle Crashes, documents common sources of under‑reporting, over‑reporting, misclassification and data entry errors related to impairment and distraction indicators.
This project examines the causes and consequences of misreporting of impaired and distracted driving in motor vehicle crash data and outlines actionable strategies to improve data accuracy. The study documents common sources of under‑reporting, over‑reporting, misclassification and data entry errors related to impairment and distraction indicators.
The report presents a structured methodology that state highway safety offices and partner agencies can apply to assess the extent of misreporting within their own crash data systems. It also provides guidance to strengthen data collection, coding practices, and analytical procedures. Improving the reliability of these indicators supports more effective decision‑making in enforcement, education and resource allocation.
This research is intended for SHSOs, traffic records professionals and other stakeholders responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of behavioral crash data.
