NHTSA Form 1149 Coverletter and Questionnaire for Current Automated Spee

Title & Name

PD Name

Address

Dear _________,

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is conducting a study of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) programs now in effect throughout the United States. M. Davis and Company, Inc. (MDAC) is collecting the data for NHTSA and your agency has been identified as currently using ASE technology in your overall efforts to reduce speeding and save lives in your community.

In April 2008, NHTSA published Speed Enforcement Camera Systems Operational Guidelines. These Guidelines were meant to provide a list of “pros” and “cons” of various communication approaches and law enforcment practices and describe how jurisdictions have implemented and conducted their ASE programs.

The goal of this NHTSA study is to develop a better understanding of existing ASE programs around the country, and to learn from programs that have recently been terminated. There are no right and no wrong answers. NHTSA will use the findings to improve the ASE guidelines with the continued objective of assisting State and local agencies nationwide in efficiently implementing or modifying ASE programs. Your completion of this questionnaire will not only contribute to improving national highway safety efforts, it can also provide you with a good opportunity to review your own ASE program in light of existing Guidelines as well as gain insights form the operations of other ASE agencies.

This project will not rank, grade, or otherwise directly compare ASE jurisdictions to each other. It is expected that the average time needed to complete this questionnaire will be about one hour.

The attached questionnaire consists of a series of questions specifically directed at learning about the background and operational aspects of your ASE program. We ask that this written questionnaire be completed no later than (insert date) and mailed to M. Davis and Company in the envelope provided. After the MDAC research team has had the opportunity to review your responses to these questions, an ASE expert from the MDAC team may contact your agency to follow up on responses to this questionnaire if clarification or more detail is needed.

If you have questions regarding NHTSA’s goals in conducting the census, please contact Dr. Randolph Atkins, the NHTSA Contracting Officer Technical Representative for this project, at 202-366-5597 or randolph.atkins@dot.gov.

If you have questions about how to complete the questionnaire, please contact me. For your convenience, a PDF fillable form version of this questionnaire is also available. If you would prefer to complete a PDF version instead of a paper version, please send me an email or give me a call.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Miller,

Principal Investigator

M. Davis and Company, Inc.

3000 Market Street, Suite 202

Philadelphia, PA 19104

303-460-7080

richard@mdavisco.com

Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2127-XXXX. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are (mandatory or voluntary). Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E., Washington, DC, 20590

OMB Control No. __________

OMB Expiration Date: ___________

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Automated Speed Enforcement Census

Agency __________________________________________________________________________

Person Completing Questionnaire ______________________________________________________

Phone Number ______________________ Email Address _________________________________

CENSUS QUESTIONS

Please check the box (or boxes) within each question that best describes your answer.

Section A. General Considerations and Planning

1. What year did your community first implement ASE?

Program began ___________________________

2. Before you had the opportunity to review this questionnaire, were you aware that the NHTSA Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) Guidelines existed?

• Yes IF YES, CONTINUE TO QUESTION A3

• No IF NO, SKIP TO QUESTION A5

• Don’t know IF DON’T KNOW, SKIP TO QUESTION A5

3. [For programs that began before April 2008]

Has your community reviewed the NHTSA Automated Speed Enforcement Guidelines for possible incorporation into your existing program?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

• Not Applicable

4. [For programs that began from April 2008 to date]

Did your community use the NHTSA Automated Speed Enforcement Guidelines in the development and implementation of the ASE program?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

• Not applicable

A5 Who was primarily responsible for advocating for the implementation of ASE in your community? (Please check all that apply)

• Police department

• City manager/council

• Mayor/other elected officials

• Public demand

• ASE vendor(s)

• Other (please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Don’t Know

A6 In addition to ASE, does your community use automated red light enforcement?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, approximately how many intersections are currently monitored?

____________________________________________________________________________________

A7 Prior to implementing ASE in your community, was a legal review or opinion provided by a person such as a city attorney or county attorney to clarify issues related to legal authority for use of ASE?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

A8 Does your community have a written strategic plan to reduce speeding violations and crashes?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

A9 Who provides ASE enforcement location recommendations in your community? (Please check all that apply)

• Police department

• City traffic engineers

• ASE Vendor Company

• The public

• Others (Please elaborate) _____________________________________________________

• Don’t know

Section B. Program Startup/Implementation

1. What factors (such as crash data, engineering data, revenue potential, etc…) are used to determine ASE deployment sites in your community?

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

B2 When implementing ASE programs, some communities form a committee or task force of stakeholders to increase interagency communication and community support. As part of implementing ASE in your community, was such a stakeholder committee formed?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

B3 What images does your agency collect for use in issuing ASE citations? (Please check all that apply)

• Driver image

• Front vehicle license plate

• Rear vehicle license plate

• Other (Please elaborate) ________________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B4 In your state, what kinds of sanctions are authorized by law for ASE violations? (Please check all that apply)

• Civil violation (i.e. monetary fine )

• Misdemeanor or summary violation (i.e. monetary fine and/or driver license penalties)

• Defensive driving school

• Other (Please elaborate) ______________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B5 In your community, what sanctions are applied for violations captured through ASE violations? (Please check all that apply)

• Civil Violation (i.e. monetary fine)

• Misdemeanor or summary violation (i.e. monetary fine and/or driver license penalties)

• Defensive driving school

• Other (Please elaborate) ______________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B6 Under your ASE program, what other violations are authorized from the photographic evidence, if any? (Please check all that apply)

• Seat belt violations

• Driver license violations ( i.e. suspended, revoked, etc.)

• Vehicle registration violations (i.e. expired, improper, etc.)

• Other violations

(Please elaborate)__________________________________________________

• Not applicable

• Don’t know

B7 What types of ASE devices are used in your community? (Please check all that apply)

• Fixed enforcement (i.e. permanent pole-mounted cameras at non intersection locations). If so, at how many locations? __________________

• Semi-fixed enforcement (ground mounted cameras in secure housings that can remain on site for several days or weeks). If so, at how many locations? ________________

• Red Light “Speed On Green” enforcement. If so, at how many locations? __________________

• Mobile enforcement?

If so, how many mobile units? ___________ and at how many locations?__________________

• Other (Please elaborate) _________________________________________

• Don’t know

B8 Which of the following locations are used for ASE in your community? (Please check all that apply)

• School zones

• Residential neighborhoods

• Arterial roads

• Expressways

• Highway work zones

• Other (Please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B9 What ASE strategies does your agency use? (Please check all that apply)

• ASE permanent signs posted on major roads and entrances to the community

• ASE permanent signs posted in advance of fixed speed cameras (i.e. non intersection, permanent locations)

• ASE temporary signs posted in advance of mobile cameras

• No advance ASE signage

• Fully marked ASE mobile vehicles

• Unmarked ASE mobile vehicles

• Other (Please elaborate) _______________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B10 Prior to an initial deployment of ASE on a specific roadway segment, does a traffic engineer conduct a study to determine if the speed limit is appropriately set?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

B11 Prior to an initial deployment of ASE on a specific roadway segment, are other measures first considered?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, what other measures are typically considered? ____________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

B12 Who owns the ASE camera equipment used by your agency?

• Police department

• ASE vendor

• Other (Please elaborate) ______________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B13 Who maintains the ASE camera equipment used by your agency?

• Police department

• ASE vendor

• Other (Please elaborate) ______________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B14 Who owns the ASE records and data for your program?

• Police department

• ASE Vendor

• Other (Please elaborate) ______________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B15 Regarding your ASE program, how would you characterize the relationship between your agency and the courts that adjudicate ASE cases?

• Excellent (e.g., work closely, communicate frequently)

• Good (e.g., coordinate and communicate as needed)

• Fair (e.g., some limited coordination and communication)

• Poor (e.g., little or no communication or coordination)

• Don’t know

B16 Are ASE data electronically encrypted from the capture point and placed onto secure networks?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

B17 When your community first implemented ASE, was an initial public information and education campaign conducted?

• Yes IF YES, CONTINUE TO QUESTION B18

• No IF NO, SKIP TO QUESTION B20

• Don’t know IF DON’T KNOW, SKIP TO QUESTION B20

B18 Which of the following elements were included in the initial public information and education campaign? (Please check all that apply)

• Promote awareness of ASE program

• Explain the dangers of speeding

• Identify camera-enforced locations

• Explain penalties for ASE violations

• Other (please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B19 Has the public information and education campaign been consistently maintained since the initial implementation period?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

B 20 What mechanisms does your agency use to inform the public about your ASE program? (Please check all that apply)

• Press conferences/interviews

• Press releases

• Video releases

• Agency website

• Other (Please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Don’t know

B21 Was implementation of ASE in your community preceded by a publicized warning period?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, how long did that publicized warning period last? _________________________________

Section C. Operations

C1 Does your agency communicate the specific sites of ASE deployments in advance to the public?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

C2 Does your agency communicate the specific daily schedule of ASE deployments in advance to the public?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

C3 What is the enforcement speed threshold (i.e. lowest speed in miles per hour (MPH) over a posted speed limit at which a violation is recorded) for ASE deployments on the following location types? (For those that apply to your community, please specify the number for miles over the speed limit).

School zones _____MPH over speed limit

Residential neighborhoods _____MPH over speed limit

Major (arterial) roads _____MPH over speed limit

Expressways _____MPH over speed limit

Highway work zones _____MPH over speed limit

Other (please elaborate) ______________________ _______MPH over speed limit

C4 Who staffs your mobile ASE units, if used? (Please check all that apply)

• Police officers

• Other police civilian employees

• ASE vendor

• Other (Please elaborate)________________________________________________________

• Not applicable IF NOT APPLICABLE, SKIP TO QUESTION C9

C5 Does your agency use a checklist to ensure that ASE equipment is being properly operated during each mobile ASE enforcement deployment?

Yes (If yes, please attach a copy of the checklist)

• No

• Don’t know

C6 What are the typical days and hours of operation for your ASE enforcement sites for mobile units, if used?

Sunday ________________________________________________________________________

Monday ________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday ________________________________________________________________________

Wednesday _____________________________________________________________________

Thursday _______________________________________________________________________

Friday _________________________________________________________________________

Saturday _______________________________________________________________________

C7 For your mobile units (if applicable), what is the typical total number of daily ASE deployment hours at a site?

___________________________________________________________________________________

C8 Who has primary oversight of your agency’s ASE deployment schedule?

• Police department staff

• ASE vendor

• Other (please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Don’t know

C9 Does the ASE equipment provide some type of immediate feedback to drivers indicating a violation has been recorded, for instance, through a camera flash, speed display board, or other means?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

C10 How often are traditional (lidar/radar) traffic enforcement officers posted at or near operational fixed or mobile ASE sites?

• Often

• Occasionally

• Rarely

• Never

• Don’t Know

C11 Does your agency review ASE data and/or crash data to determine whether enforcement should be shifted to other locations? (Please check all that apply)

• Yes, review speed data

• Yes, review crash data

• No

• Don’t Know

C12 Which of the following applies if no ASE driver image is taken and the vehicle’s registered owner contests the violation notice?

• Certification of innocence required from the registered owner

• Identification of the driver required from the registered owner

• Evidence that the vehicle was not in the legal possession of the registered owner

• Other (Please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Not applicable

• Don’t Know

C13 Does your agency have one person in authority assigned to ensure all ASE activities are in compliance with laws and policies?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, please identify this person and provide contact information

Name & Title:_________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number:_______________________________________________________________________

Email address:________________________________________________________________________

Section D. Violation Processing, Delivery and Adjudication

(Please attach a sample violation notice to this questionnaire. Thank you)

D1 In your agency’s ASE program, who is responsible for maintaining control and supervision of the violation processing staff? (Please provide contact information)

Name & Title:_________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number:_______________________________________________________________________

Email address:________________________________________________________________________

D2 Are any of the following internal quality control procedures employed by your jurisdiction? (Please check all that apply)

• All violations are reviewed and certified by at least two individuals

• Police department supervisors spot-check violations deemed valid by processors

• Other (please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• None

• Don’t know

D3 Which of the following does your agency employ to determine whether you will issue an ASE violation? (Please check all that apply)

• Vehicle/registration plate matching

• Gender matching

• Image quality standards

• Other (please elaborate) ________________________________________________________

• None

• Don’t know

D4 Briefly describe your agency’s policy on the maximum time targeted for processing ASE violations?

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

D5 Who has final responsibility for reviewing ASE violations to determine if a violation notice should be issued?

• Police officer

• Civilian employee of Police department

• ASE vendor employee

• Don’t know

• Other (please elaborate)

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

D6 Does your ASE program use personal service (i.e. a hand delivered notice to appear) as an option for ASE violations when there is no response to the mailed violation?

• Yes, the majority of mailed ASE violations not responded to by the alleged violator are followed up by personal service

• Yes, selected mailed ASE violations not responded to by the alleged violator are followed up by personal service.

• No, our ASE program does not involve personal service of ASE violations.

• Other (please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

• Don’t know

D7 For contested court appearances involving mobile unit ASE violations, if applicable, who appears in court on behalf of the agency? (Please check all that apply)

• Police officer who staffed the mobile unit

• Civilian employee of Police department who staffed the mobile unit

• Vendor employee who staffed the mobile unit

• Police enforcement officer who reviewed the ASE violation

• Civilian employee of Police department who reviewed the ASE violation

• Vendor employee who reviewed the ASE violation

• Other (please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Not applicable

• Don’t know

D8 For contested court appearances involving either fixed unit, semi-fixed unit, or red light intersection “speed on green” ASE violations, if applicable, who appears in court on behalf of the agency? (Please check all that apply)

• Police officer who reviewed the ASE violation

• Civilian employee of Police department who reviewed the ASE violation

• Vendor employee who reviewed the ASE violation

• Other (please elaborate) _________________________________________________________

• Not applicable

• Don’t know

D9 When issuing violation notices to vehicles owned by a government agency or a business, does the ASE agency request identification of the person driving at the time of the violation?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

D10 Are calls from citizens regarding your ASE program reviewed by program managers to identify recurring concerns about the ASE program?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

IF YOUR ASE PROGRAM IS MORE THAN ONE YEAR OLD, PLEASE ANSWER QUESTIONS D11 AND D12. IF IT IS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD, PLEASE SKIP TO QUESTION D13

D11 Over the most recent complete year of operation, how many total ASE violations were forwarded to alleged violators? ____________________________________________________

D12 Of those ASE violations, how many violators paid a fine? ______________________________

D13 What are the fines assessed for the following ASE violations, if applicable? (Please insert the dollar amount on the blank line)

• School zones $___________

• Residential neighborhoods $___________

• Arterial roads $___________

• Expressways $___________

• Highway work zones $___________

• Other (Please elaborate) _________________________________________ $___________

• Don’t know

D14 How is the revenue generated from your ASE program distributed? (Please check all that apply)

• Police agency – traffic safety fund ____________%

• Police agency – general fund ____________%

• Local government ____________%

• County government ___________ %

• State government ____________%

• ASE vendor ____________%

• Other (please elaborate) __________________________________ ____________%

• Don’t know

D15   Over the most recent complete year of operation by your ASE program, what approximate percentage of all speeding violations issued by your agency (including ASE, RADAR, LIDAR, air speed timing, vehicle pacing, and other traditional enforcement methods) were ASE violations?

• 1-20%

• 21-40%

• 41-60%

• 61-80%

• 81-100%

• Don’t know

Section E. Program Evaluation

E1 Has your agency conducted an evaluation of the effects of ASE on crashes, or is such an evaluation planned?

• Yes, conducted an evaluation

• Yes, plan to conduct an evaluation (If so, when?)__________________________________

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, please provide a copy of the evaluation or the evaluation plan methodology if you are in the planning stages of an evaluation

E2 Has your agency conducted an evaluation of the effects of ASE on traffic speeds, or is such an evaluation planned?

• Yes, conducted an evaluation

• Yes, plan to conduct an evaluation study (If so, when?)_________________________________

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, please provide a copy of the evaluation or the evaluation plan methodology if you are in the planning stages of an evaluation

E3 Has your agency conducted an evaluation of public acceptance of ASE, or is such an evaluation planned?

• Yes, conducted an evaluation

• Yes, plan to conduct an evaluation (if so, when?) ____________________________________

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, please provide a copy of the evaluation or the evaluation plan methodology if you are in the planning stages of an evaluation

E4 Please take this opportunity to add any comments about your ASE program that you think are relevant that were not addressed in the preceding questions.

(Please attach additional pages, if necessary)

For your convenience, here is a list of the items requested in the questionnaire as attachments, if available:

• ASE equipment checklist for each mobile ASE enforcement deployment

• Sample ASE violation notice

• Evaluation (or evaluation plan) of the effects of ASE on crashes,

• Evaluation (or evaluation plan) of the effects of ASE on traffic speeds

• Evaluation (or evaluation plan) of public acceptance of ASE

SUPPLEMENTARY CONTACT INFORMATION

Please provide the names and contact information of any additional individuals whose input you believe would be beneficial to this very important NHTSA data collection effort. (Please attach additional pages, if necessary)

Name & Title:_________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number:_______________________________________________________________________

Email address:________________________________________________________________________

Name & Title:_________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number:_______________________________________________________________________

Email address:________________________________________________________________________

Name & Title:_________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number:_______________________________________________________________________

Email address:________________________________________________________________________

Name & Title:_________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number:_______________________________________________________________________

Email address:________________________________________________________________________

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, we would like to thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire on your Automated Speed Enforcement program. Please mail this questionnaire in the postage-paid envelope provided to:

M. Davis and Company, Inc.

3000 Market Street, Suite 202

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Attention: NHTSA ASE Survey