Initiatives

Student Paper Competition: SHRP 2 Safety Data Bonanza

The Student Paper Competition solicits innovative ideas for using the SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) database and/or Roadway Information Database (RID) - together known as the SHRP 2 Safety Data. The purpose of the competition is to encourage use of the SHRP 2 Safety Data and to foster the next generation of leaders in surface transportation research. Students are asked to propose how they would use the Safety Data to address a research question. Research topics are not restricted; Topics may be drawn from a wide range of subjects of interest to the driving and road safety research community, such as driver behavior and roadway design, as well as applications that extend beyond road safety such as data modeling, health, planning, and beyond.

Winners of the 2017/2019 Cycle
Four students’ full research papers were selected to be published in TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C243: SHRP 2 Safety Data Student Paper Competition 2017-2019 .

1. Xu, Dan. "Interchange Deceleration Lane Design Based on Naturalistic Driving Speeds and Deceleration Rates".
2. Bou-Saab, Georges. "Beyond Safety: Utilizing SHRP2 NDS Data to Model Vehicular Emissions from Passenger Cars at Work Zones Using Vehicle Specific Power and Operating Mode Distribution Approach".
3. Sharda, Shivam. "Modeling Determinants of Risky Driving Behaviors and Secondary Task Engagement Using Naturalistic Driving Data".
4. Mousa, Saleh. "Identifying Association between Level of Safety of the Events and the Driver Characteristics: A Market Basket Analysis".

1. Bou-Saab, Georges, Iowa State University, "Beyond Safety: Utilizing SHRP2 NDS Data to Model Vehicular Emissions from Passenger Cars at Work Zones Using Vehicle Specific Power and Operating Mode Distribution Approach"
2. Chen, Kuan-Ting, The State University of New York at Buffalo, "Using Naturalistic Driving Data to Examine the Influences of Driving Styles on Crash Severity Level"
3. Masaki, Jaqueline, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, "Using Naturalistic Driving Study Data to Assess the Safety Benefits of Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Technologies for Older Drivers"
4. Mousa, Saleh, Louisiana State University, "Identifying Association between Level of Safety of the Events and the Driver Characteristics: A Market Basket Analysis"
5. Sharda, Shivam, Arizona State University, "Modeling Determinants of Risky Driving Behaviors and Secondary Task Engagement Using Naturalistic Driving Data"
6. Wali, Behram, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, "Is Driving Volatility in School Zones Related to Crash Propensity in a Naturalistic Driving Environment? A Generalized Mixed Discrete Choice Framework Accounting for Scale and Random Heterogeneity"
7. Xu, Dan, Auburn University, "Interchange Deceleration Lane Design Based on Naturalistic Driving Speeds and Deceleration Rates"
8. Yarney, Abraham, University of Florida, "Factors Impacting the Likelihood of Near-Crashes and Crashes"

The publication review process involves a panel evaluation of whether the paper reflects reasonable accomplishment of project objectives; makes conclusions that are adequately supported; is clear in presentation; and makes no sensitive statements. 

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Winners of the 2015/2016 Cycle
Three students’ full research papers were selected to be published in TRB’s Transportation Research Circular E-C221: SHRP 2 Safety Data Student Paper Competition, 2015–2016.

• Gao, J. “Using Naturalistic Driving Study Data to Investigate the Impact of Driver Distraction on Drivers’ Reaction Time in Freeway Rear-Ending Events.” Transportation Research Circular E-C221: SHRP 2 Safety Data Student Paper Competition, 2015–2016. Washington, DC: TRB, May 2017.
• Hamzeie, R., P.T. Savolainen. “Examination of Factors Determining At-Fault and Not-at-Fault Status in Multivehicle Conflicts Using the SHRP 2 Data.” Transportation Research Circular E-C221: SHRP 2 Safety Data Student Paper Competition, 2015–2016. Washington, DC: TRB, May 2017.
• Wu, J. “Effect and Influence of Different Factors on Driver Behavior When Vehicles Make Right Turns at Signalized Intersections.” Transportation Research Circular E-C221: SHRP 2 Safety Data Student Paper Competition, 2015–2016. Washington, DC: TRB, May 2017.

Six students’ abstracts were selected by a TRB panel to be presented at the 2016 TRB Annual Meeting.

• Jingru Gao, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, “Using Naturalistic Driving Study Data to Investigate the Impact of Driver Distraction on Driver’s Reaction Time in Freeway Rear-ending Events” 
• Raha Hamzeie, Iowa State University, “Examination of the Factors Determining Fault in Multi-vehicle Crashes Using SHRP 2 Data”
• Amirhossein R. Khezerzadeh, Boris Claros, University of Missouri, “Developing Driver Safety Prediction Models”
• Daniel A. Rodriguez, Xinli Geng, University of Nevada, Reno, “Learning Naturalistic Driving Behavior for Autonomous Vehicle Control”
• Yuan Sun, Xinli Geng, University of Nevada, Reno, “Driving Behavior Analysis for Safety on Rural Two-Lane, Two-Way Roads”
• Jianqing Wu, University of Nevada, Reno, “Effect and Influence of Roadway and Environment Factors on Drivers’ Behavior when Vehicles Make Turns at Intersections”

The publication review process involves a panel evaluation of whether the paper reflects reasonable accomplishment of project objectives; makes conclusions that are adequately supported; is clear in presentation; and makes no sensitive statements.

See the announcement for full terms and conditions of the competition.