NHTSA Seeks Comments on Updated Crash Report Data Systems
Published Date: 3/19/2026
Notice
Summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to keep collecting important crash and traffic data but with some updates to how they do it. This affects drivers, researchers, and safety experts who rely on accurate info to make roads safer. They’re asking for your thoughts by May 18, 2026, before making these changes official—no big costs, just smarter data gathering!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
CRSS/NTS Data Collection Extended
NHTSA is asking OMB to extend with modification its Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS), Non-Traffic Surveillance (NTS), and Special Study data collections and is seeking public comments by May 18, 2026. The agency estimates 1,367 respondents and says the new annual respondent burden will drop from 42,680 hours to 18,167 hours.
Non-Sampled PJ Special Study Removed
NHTSA removed the Non-Sampled Police Jurisdiction (PJ) Crash Count Special Study from this information collection. The agency estimated that, if used, that special study could have added up to 21,307 annual burden hours (derived from 63,920 hours over three years divided by three).
Manual Crash-Report Access Is Time-Intensive
For police jurisdictions that provide crash reports by manual methods, NHTSA estimates the burden at 470 hours annually per PJ. NHTSA reports 37 PJs using mixed manual methods, which it estimates will total 17,390 hours annually for those sites.
PJ Frame Evaluation Study Added
NHTSA will include a PJ Frame Evaluation Special Study that anticipates contacting about 1,300 police jurisdictions. NHTSA estimates each PJ will take about 16 minutes (0.25 hours) to provide six crash-count values, yielding about 347 total burden hours and an estimated cost of $13,885.64.
CRSS Does Not Release Personal IDs
NHTSA states that CRSS collects crash-report information but that no personally identifiable information (PII) is collected or released via the CRSS data files. Selected crashes are released to the public only after NHTSA quality control processing.
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