SHRP 2 Safety Training Dataset Helps Researchers

The Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) 2 Safety Database offers a training dataset to help researchers better understand driving-related variables.

Prospective users can browse the dataset to plan their research and become familiar with the structure of the data prior to requesting a license. The training dataset contains video and kinematic data similar to the data available in the SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) database.

The training dataset uses information collected from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI).  VTTI has effected significant change in public policies for driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety and is advancing the design of vehicles and infrastructure to increase safety and reduce environmental impacts.

VTTI staff has provided advance permission to release their data freely into the public domain. It does not require the same mandatory Institutional Review Board and SHRP 2 data sharing requirements as the actual SHRP 2 NDS data.

The training dataset may help researchers better understand the driving-related variables that are available in the SHRP 2 NDS, including continuous sensor data, face video, and GPS information. This training environment may allow users to better understand the content and structure of the NDS database in order to develop innovative uses of the SHRP 2 data.

The training dataset is available on the InSight website. Prospective users will need to register to use the training dataset, but are not required to be a “qualified researcher” or obtain human subjects training. After registering, find the training dataset by navigating to the "Background" section of the website, toward the bottom of the page.

Available on the InSight website:

• Information describing the 3,400+ drivers and vehicles that participated in the naturalistic driving study
• 5,400,000+ trip summary records that describe individual trips recorded during the study
• SHRP2 NDS status information including data collection and processing progress
• 36,000+ crash, near crash, and baseline driving events
• Background information about the project and data being collected
• Discussion forums for questions about the project and available data
• Query the database of detailed data, create cross tabulations, and assess NDS database content

Registered users will also find a paper providing a detailed description of the training dataset and how it was collected. A high-speed internet connection is required to download the information.

For additional information on the SHRP 2 safety database, please contact InSightFeedback@vtti.vt.edu.