The Crash Investigation Division (CID) is the primary data collection mechanism of NCSA. It is one of three divisions within NCSA, the others being the State Data & Reporting Systems Division (SDRSD, also referred to as SDS) and the Mathematical Analysis Division (MAD). Comprised of the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) and Special Crash Investigations (SCI), CID provides the source of data which forms the foundation of the reports and analysis generated by NCSA. Within CID, national random crash data is collected, specific crashes are selected for more detailed research by trained crash investigators, and special circumstance, ermerging technology and high interest cases are examined by crash industry experts who are part of the CID team.
CID on it's own is simply part of a management structure for NCSA. The components of CID (NASS and SCI) are the tangible entities whose combined activities generate the data necessary for other elements within NCSA to compile data and produce statistical reports and analysis regarding crashes.
NASS is composed of two systems - the Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) and the General Estimates System (GES). Both systems are based on cases selected from a sample of police crash reports. CDS data focus on passenger vehicle crashes, and are used to investigate injury mechanisms to identify potential improvements in vehicle design. GES data focus on the bigger overall crash picture, and are used for problem size assessments and tracking trends.
Established in 1979, NASS was created as part of a nationwide effort to reduce motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths on our nation's highways.
NASS collects crash data to help government scientists and engineers analyze motor vehicle crashes and injuries. NASS collects detailed data on a representative, random sample of hundreds of thousands of minor, serious and fatal crashes involving passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, large trucks, motorcycles, and pedestrians.
The two components which make up NASS, the Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) and the General Estimates System (GES), select cases from police crash reports (also known as PARS: Police Accident Reports) at police agencies within randomly selected areas of the country. These areas are counties and major cities that represent all areas of the United States. CDS data are collected by field researchers who carefully study and record aspects of selected motor vehicle crashes to include exterior and interior vehicle damage, occupant injury, crash scene investigation, environmental conditions at the time of the crash, etc., etc. GES data comes from a larger sample of crashes, but only basic information is recorded from the PARs and entered into the system.
Use the links above for more information regarding NASS components CDS and GES.