Applying Telematics Data to Support Traffic Enforcement

Telematics is increasingly used to help traffic enforcement shift toward data-driven, risk-based, and preventive safety interventions. Telematics systems collect data such as vehicle speed, acceleration, braking, cornering, location, time of day, and sometimes phone distraction indicators. In a traffic enforcement context, this data can support hotspot identification and targeted enforcement deployment. Relevant traffic enforcement applications include: 1. Speed management - telematics can reveal where speeding is routine, not just where crashes have already occurred. This is especially useful on arterials, rural roads, school zones, and work zones. 2. Distracted driving risk - mobile-device telematics can indicate patterns of phone interaction while driving. This is better suited for network-level risk mapping than individual citation issuance. 3. Commercial fleet compliance - fleet telematics can support internal safety management, identify repeat risky driving behavior, and guide employer-based interventions. 4. Work-zone safety - telematics can help detect excessive speeds near work zones and support placement of speed safety cameras or police presence. The Governors Highway Safety Association has recently promoted a shift toward using anonymized, aggregate telematics insights to identify risky conditions before crashes occur, such as repeated high-speed driving through school zones or distraction on rural roads. Research is needed to develop a better understanding of the application of telematics data to support traffic enforcement. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this research are to: Document the existing state of knowledge regarding the application of telematics data to support traffic enforcement; Assess pilot projects underway in various states; Assess primary issues and unintended consequences, and propose measures states can take to manage risks; Develop a guide for state highway safety and other state agencies indicating (1) how they can use this technology to promote traffic safety and (2) recommendations for standardizing the use of telematics data to meet user needs; Propose a study design for use in potential future BTSCRP research to address knowledge gaps.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=6087

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $350,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  BTS-48

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Governors Highway Safety Association

  444 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 722
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, D.C.  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Retting, Richard

• Start Date: 20261001
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Distracted driving; Telematics; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic safety; Traffic speed; Work zone safety
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Law; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01994964
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: BTS-48
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jul 2 2026 8:00PM