Community-Centered Traffic Safety

"Community-Centered Traffic Safety" is an innovative research project focused on addressing the complex issue of traffic safety through a multifaceted and community-focused approach. Recognizing the limitations of traditional one-size-fits-all solutions, the project aims to explore and mitigate traffic safety issues by taking into account the diverse socio-cultural, economic, and infrastructural factors that affect different communities. The project consists of four research thrusts: evaluating the effectiveness of current citation fine structures across different socio-economic groups, creating culturally sensitive safety messages, developing a crowdsourced app for community-specific safety concerns, and analyzing pedestrian crashes near transit stops to determine contributing factors. This comprehensive approach involves collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and interdisciplinary student participation from Engineering, Planning, and Public Policy departments. The project aims to provide actionable insights and tailored solutions by engaging with local communities, conducting surveys, focus groups, and observational studies, and utilizing the UMassSafe Crash Data Warehouse for data analysis. The expected outcomes include an updated fine structure proposal, culturally-tailored traffic safety campaigns, and a crowdsourced app prototype, all aimed at fostering community engagement and long-term systemic changes in traffic safety policies. The project emphasizes student involvement in data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and app testing, offering valuable research experience and contributing to the broader goal of creating safer and more inclusive community environments.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $200000
  • Contract Numbers:

    69A3552348301

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Managing Organizations:

    University of Massachusetts, Amherst

    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
    130 Natural Resources Road
    Amherst, MA  United States  01003
  • Performing Organizations:

    University of Massachusetts, Amherst

    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
    130 Natural Resources Road
    Amherst, MA  United States  01003

    Holyoke Community College

    Holyoke, MA  United States 

    Bunker Hill Community College

    Boston, MA  United States 
  • Principal Investigators:

    Fitzpatrick, Cole

    Tainter, Francis

  • Start Date: 20240101
  • Expected Completion Date: 20241231
  • Actual Completion Date: 0
  • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program
  • Subprogram: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01905250
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: New England University Transportation Center
  • Contract Numbers: 69A3552348301
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: Jan 22 2024 12:27PM