How Did Phase 1 Come About?

While the SHRP 2 research program was under way and the data were being collected and assembled, an advisory committee explored the long-term stewardship of the safety data. The Long-Term Stewardship Committee—assembled in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act—recommended a multiphase approach. During the first five-year period, or Phase 1, the safety data would not be moved, to build a more complete base of knowledge about the data demand and use and on the resources required to guide the remainder of implementation. Phase 1 is an experimental operational period for the safety data, during which a variety of research projects will be under way using the database.

A memorandum of understanding, signed on June 26, 2014, governs activities in Phase 1 by four partners: the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Transportation Research Board (TRB).

A cooperative agreement between FHWA and TRB provides the funding for Phase 1 activities by TRB staff, committees, and contractors. The objectives of the cooperative agreement are to promote conditions for making the SHRP 2 safety data available to qualified users and to gain experience and data to support decisions about the implementation and oversight of the data after Phase 1. Phase 1 of SHRP 2 Safety Data Implementation and Oversight ends in 2019.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine appointed a committee to oversee the work of the Phase 1 program. The Oversight Committee for Use and Oversight of SHRP 2 Safety Data, Phase 1 (FA014) is known as the Safety Data Oversight Committee. The Committee provides policy guidance for Phase 1. Members include executives from state transportation agencies, representatives from the automotive industry, academics with expertise in big data and information technology, and traffic safety researchers; representatives from the four partners serve as ex officio members.

Visit the Oversight Committee page to view a list of committee members as well as a list of subcommittees which provide specialized, technical expertise to the Oversight Committee.