Project Info

Project Request Date: 12/03/2018
Project Requested By: George Bahouth, D.Sc. – Impact Research
Principle Investigator: Jerry Pigman

Initial Inquiry

I am requesting to obtain data that includes full VINs. The below research description will explain why full VINs are necessary. For your information, we have already received/will receive full VIN data from a number of other states including NY, FL, MI, PA, MD, MO, KS, IA, MN, WA. We are working on the rest and hope to compile a national data set.

Research Description: Impact Research is tasked with determining the effectiveness of advanced driver assistance safety systems (ADAS) in vehicles today. These systems include autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and blind spot warning among others. These technologies are recent additions to many vehicle fleets, so this study is timely and essential to determine their effectiveness in preventing crashes and increasing safety on US roadways. Our plan is to use Kentucky crash data in addition to any other state that can provide the necessary crash data elements.

Why VIN is Necessary: For this study, the necessary crash data elements include accident, occupant and vehicle parameters. Some vehicle parameters, like ADAS technologies, are only identifiable with the full VIN. And because not every newer vehicle is equipped with the technologies we are studying, the research requires that we determine which of the crashed vehicles are equipped. The full VIN, all 17 digits, fully describes the vehicle and the technologies on-board. Without the full VIN, there is no way to determine if the vehicle is equipped with the targeted technology options.

Automotive manufacturers will supply Impact Research with the VINs they know to have the targeted options. We will then link that data to Kentucky crashes, by the VIN, to characterize equipped vs non-equipped vehicle crashes.

Special Permission Appeal: We understand that some states do not typically release the full VIN. It is also understood that the VIN does not constitute the disclosure of the identity of the registered owner or driver; therefore, Impact Research appeals special permission to release the full VIN for the purpose of improving vehicle safety.

Trustworthy Custodian: Impact Research has been a good and trustworthy custodian of VA and US crash data dating back to 1989, so we understand the importance of private information. We will not use this information to link to data that include personal identifying information. We will not share the data or use this information for any reason other than our vehicle safety research, and we will continue to be good and trustworthy custodians of Kentucky data.

Project Write-up

VIN numbers are personally identifiable information and protected. As such, data could not be provided under KTSDS. The inquiry was forwarded to KYTC.

Data Provided

No data provided. Forwarded request to KYTC.