Traditionally, the details of road traffic accidents were recorded on lengthy forms. This was a slow and frequently inaccurate method. 

The computerised system CRASH will enable officers to input data into a central system using handheld computers. This will improve accuracy as it removes the need for administrators to input data into a computer system. Information will be more accurate because CRASH will connect directly with other systems - such as the Police National Computer. Information can be transferred directly into the CRASH system.

Forces will be able to analyse all information stored on the system and can extract data for their own data warehouses. This will help with local planning and road traffic management. The availability of more timely and accurate information will help save lives and reduce police bureaucracy, in line with the Flanagan Report.

CRASH will also support the management of incidents by including supervision processes, a journal, allowing attachments, full evidential audit, automated force-specific letters and decision of investigation outcome.

The NPIA has signed a contract to develop CRASH, with IPL (Information Processing Ltd) on the 23 January 09.  

Benefits

• Business operation:
  A main point of collecting information at road traffic accidents is to use this information to prevent future accidents. With CRASH the information collected will be used in a greater variety of ways that will shed new light in road traffic management. Information will be more accurate and be available sooner than with the existing information gathering process.
• Individual forces
  Individual forces can opt to use CRASH instead of the existing paper form. CRASH will provide more accurate information for police to improve road safety and make it easier for officers to input data. Forces will be able to 'mine' information more effectively and gain more knowledge from the information that they collate.
• Policing in general
  CRASH will streamline working practices by replacing the 43 ways (one for each force) of compiling and sharing information with local authorities and DfT. This will bring in a national standard in this area of police operations - delivering the recommendations to reduce bureaucracy stated by the Flanagan Review of Policing and the Policing Green paper published in July 2008.
• The General Public
  More accurate and timely information will help save lives. With the information provided by police faster and with greater accuracy the DfT and Highways Agency will be able to take action sooner to improve road saftey.

Back to top

How do forces get this?

CRASH will be run by the NPIA and forces will be able to opt to use the system once it has gone live and is successful in testing. The NPIA will work with forces wishing to use CRASH to ensure that it is aligned with other technologies that are becoming available. NPIA will host the CRASH system - it is a national application and database. There will be no costs for any hardware, software licences, or proprietary software for forces.

Back to top

What is NPIA's role?

ACPO and DfT have agreed the requirements that CRASH needs to meet. The NPIA's role is to deliver according to this specification. A supplier will be contracted to develop and deploy CRASH and the NPIA will manage the supplier to successful delivery.

Back to top

Timescales

The NPIA has appointed IPL as a supplier to deliver CRASH. The project expects CRASH to be live by mid 2010 when trial forces will test the new system. CRASH is expected to be available to all forces to use by the end of 2010.