DEPARTMENT NAME HERE

New Jersey DOT Crash Data Analysis 

NOTEWORTHY PRACTICE 

FHWA-SA-19-012

A major focus of the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT) data 

driven interactive tool ‘Safety Voyager’ is to provide a quick and visual perspective 

of crash data in New Jersey. 

Data Analysis Needs

NJDOT’s Bureau of Transportation Data and Safety (BTDS) collects 

all New Jersey Police Crash Investigation Report forms (NJTR-1) 

statewide from State and local law enforcement agencies. BTDS 

receives an average of 320,000 crash reports per year to process, 

scan, verify, and store in a database. With an abundance of 

available data, State and local government agencies need a quick 

and easy visual perspective tool for their data-driven crash 

analysis and safety programs.

NJDOT has developed several data-driven safety programs to 

identify locations in need of improvements based on crash data 

from NJTR-1 reports. Beyond safety programs established by 

NJDOT, the data captured in NJTR-1 reports are used for the 

development of grant applications, resource allocation, and 

statistical analysis. Over 20 agencies, including the Division of 

Highway Traffic Safety, Motor Vehicles Commission research 

institutes, and State and local police use the data.

Safety Voyager

In 2016, NJDOT developed and deployed the first phase of a new 

user-friendly crash data analysis tool called Safety Voyager1. 

Safety Voyager is a web-based application that allows NJDOT to

visualize crash data, traffic count data, and exploratory data 

analysis in a map-based interface. 

A web-based cloud platform hosts this application. By providing 

both two- and three-dimensional graphical displays, Safety 

Voyager can quickly show a comparative view of crashes within a 

defined area, municipality, or county as determined by users. In 

addition, various filters are available to fulfill detailed userdefined queries.

Safety Voyager Login Page.

Safety Voyager Interface.
Features of Safety Voyager include:

Crash Cluster Selection Tool 

The Crash Cluster Selection Tool isolates the selected 

crashes in the Detailed Crash Information window and 

highlights the crashes on the map that are linked to an

NJTR-1 report. 

Crash Cluster Selection Tool and Crash Reports.

Crash Reports

Users can access NJTR-1 crash reports directly from the 

Crash Map application. This tool redacts personal 

identifying information to protect an individual’s privacy. 

Currently, over 200,000 NJTR-1 reports are linked to crash

data, mostly from recent crash events (2017 and 2018). 

Available redacted reports show up as a link in the 

Detailed Crash Information window where available. Users can download these reports as a PDF with just one click. 

Dashboard and Heat Maps

The latest updates for Safety 

Voyager focus on pedestrianand bicycle-related crashes. 

The tool contains dashboard 

and heat maps for 

visualization and a better 

understanding of the 

problem.

Dashboard and Heat Maps.

Data Analysis

Safety Voyager can assist with safety planning. For example, it is an integral part of all safety programs and planning 

efforts at the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA). Crash data is analyzed at the municipal and 

county levels by NJTPA staff as part of safety planning. Crash trends at the municipal level are used to select locations for 

the Street-Smart Campaign. Road Safety Audits, which are led by the NJDOT in collaboration with the NJTPA, begin with 

the analysis of crash data using Safety Voyager. It is also used to: analyze crashes at intersections and corridors as the 

basis for eligible locations for Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding through NJTPA’s Local Safety and 

High-Risk Rural Roads Programs; complete Highway Safety Manual and Benefit Cost analyses which is a prerequisite of 

HSIP funding, and; to complete three-year post construction performance evaluations of projects that have been 

constructed with HSIP funds, as part of NJDOT’s Annual Safety Report.

Status

The NJDOT routinely updates Safety Voyager as new crash information becomes available. The software improvements 

and enhancements are being done on a regular basis and this process incorporates new features based on the feedback 

received from the users. Newer tutorial blogs (for example, crash map tutorial, emphasis areas tutorial) are also 

uploaded on regular basis to improve usability. 

Contact Information

Chris Zajac, PMP, Section Chief, Bureau of Transportation Data & Support, Division of Multimodal Services, New Jersey Department of 

Transportation, chris.zajac@dot.nj.gov, 609-963-1893.

Reference

1 New Jersey Department of Transportation. Safety Voyager. https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/accident/crashdatasearch.shtm.