UTC 2022 Funding - Cycle 2 Research Projects

Project Number: CY2-UARK-01
Project Title: Connected Vehicle Data for Statewide Seat Belt Use Estimation: Proof of Concept
Performing Institution: University of Arkansas
Principal Investigator: Sarah Hernandez
Proposed Start and End Date: 0/01/2024 to 01/15/2026
Project Description: This project aims to explore the use of Connected Vehicle (CV) data to estimate statewide seat belt use, replacing the current manual observation method mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). CV data contains records of seat belt activity that may be leveraged to estimate statewide seatbelt usage. Third-party data providers like Wejo and Geotab collect and anonymize CV data so that it can be used by transportation agencies, researchers, and others. Currently, states must conduct extensive manual seat belt use surveys, which are time-consuming and subject to human error. By leveraging anonymized CV event data, this research will provide a proof of concept for a more efficient, accurate, and scalable method to gather seat belt usage data. 
Click here to learn more