The Fatality Analysis Reporting System
Every so often, the evening news or newspaper will report on new statistics regarding the number of motor vehicle accidents during a given timeframe. Frequently, such reports will also convey details about injuries and fatalities associated with those crashes. Gathering the information that forms the basis of these statistical analyses is no small undertaking, and the trends that they reveal can help save lives in the future. So, who is responsible for compiling and analyzing the massive dataset from all of the wrecks on public roadways?
That responsibility falls to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, and to assist in this effort the agency has devised the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Contracted analysts in each state utilize the FARS to provide a standard mechanism for the data collection and reporting process.
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Documentation and Criteria for Inclusion
Although the FARS reports are expansive, they are not fully comprehensive. For example, accidents that occur on private roads are not included in the data that make up the analysis. Generally, all accidents that occur on public roads in the United States, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are considered in the report if at least one driver, passenger, or pedestrian perishes within 30 days of the accident. Extensive accounting of a variety of details enables analysts to consider things such as the time of day, age, sobriety, licensure, and other relevant facts regarding an accident.
The following constitutes a partial list of source documents that are used in compiling FARS reports:
- Police and Highway Patrol Accident Reports
- Medical Records from Hospitals
- Documented Reports from First Responders
- Vital Statistics
- Reports of the Medical Examiner
Contact Us
The FARS gives the public a number of safety statistics to consider. But for you, those numbers may be forever linked with the loss of someone you love. For the financial compensation to which you are entitled, contact Iowa motorcycle wrongful death lawyer Pete Leehey by calling 877-209-9452.