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New Interactive "CRASH Stories" Map Lets You Track Collisions And Close Calls
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 28, 2013
Modified Mar 28, 2013
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By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 28, 2013
Modified Mar 28, 2013
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Ever witness a car crash and want to do something more than just wait around for investigators to not take your statement? Now you can document what you saw on a website that plans to map as many NYC crashes as possible. Transportation Alternatives launched the "CRASH Stories" map today; the interactive website lets "you report about any crashes or near-misses' that you witnessed or happened to you, whether just now, recently or in the past.
One neat feature of the website is that if you're still at the scene of the crash, you just need to click the little compass/crosshairs symbol, and your location will automatically be entered in through GPS. Then you enter as many details about the incident as possible, including what you think was the primary cause of the crash and who had the right-of-way. There are eight survey questions on the form, as well as an empty box for you to write an account in your own words—and each survey question has a helpful "clarification page" to answer questions you might have. For the "primary cause of crash" question, TA gives this explanation:
For this question, please review the following list of crash causes, which come from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles crash reporting form. If none of the options were the primary cause of the crash, please select "Other" and describe the crash in further detail in the description box.
- Driver backing unsafely
- Driver failure to yield right-of-way
- Driver following too closely
- Driver passing improperly / improper lane usage (e.g., car in bike lane)
- Pedestrian or bicyclist confusion
- Traffic sign/signal/officer ignored (e.g., red light)
- Driver turning improperly
- Driver unsafe speed
- Unsafe lane changing
- Failure to keep right
- Driver aggression / road rage
- Driver inattention (e.g., dooring)
- Driver distraction (e.g., cell phone)
- Impaired driving (e.g., alcohol)
It's not just collisions; the map also lets you enter "near-misses" into the database. According to Transportation Alternatives, the map also "provides a tool for witnesses of a crash to reach out to the victim(s), for any police, legal or insurance needs... The New York City Police Department is the primary City agency responsible for collecting crash data in New York City. Approximately 78,000 crashes happen each year in New York City. However, the NYPDs Collision Investigation Squad investigates less than half of 1 percent of all crashes."
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crash stories
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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