The following excerpts from handouts concerning CAR on the transportation beat are all available in their entirety from the Resource Center. Request the number listed in parentheses. Call (573) 882-3364 for more information.
Crash course (#816) By Justin Mayo The Seattle Times
When things collide, one of the results is data. Generally, the destruction of property or human injury generates huge amounts of paperwork, which eventually ends up in a database. This grim reality is good news for CAR reporters because of the abundance of accidents - and therefore accident data. Additionally, transportation safety is an issue that will always be important to the audience and one that can clearly be enhanced through computer-assisted reporting.
Three things to keep in mind: First, although many databases are constructed or disseminated at the federal level, remember that you can also tap local agencies - especially for automobile accidents.
Most of the time the state will be more current and complete. However, local agencies might be reluctant to give out the entire database without redacting some information. So be prepared to know what you really need to get out of the database and be ready to fight for it. A good strategy is to first request paper records and the record layout of the database. That way you can see what's collected at the scene of the accident and what information is available in the database.
If you're going to write about individual accidents, always ask for the paper records.
Second, when trying to make comparisons, you'll need to normalize the data. Usually, raw numbers will not be enough. Normalizing data will depend on the nature of your story. For example, if you're looking at fatality rates for the elderly, you'll have to get statistics based on the number of miles driven by age of the driver. On the other hand, if you want to look at the type of vehicles involved in rollover accidents, the number of cars on the road by type would be necessary.
Third, beware of online data sources. Many of the federal accident databases are available online, particularly aviation data. These sites can be a great resource for deadline searches, but be warned that some are incomplete. It's best to get the entire dataset directly from the agency (or NICAR) if you plan to use a particular database on a regular basis.
NOTE: In the remainder of his handout, Mayo discusses available databases organized under the topic headings of air, roads, rail and agencies, the Web and/or NICAR.
Justin Mayo can be reached by e-mail at jmayo@seattletimes.com
Must-have resource (#677) By Heather Newman Detroit Free Press
The Directory of Transportation Data Sources, published by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (the Mecca of free transportation data), is the best collection of database descriptions anywhere. (And it's also free.) It includes a comprehensive listing of data collected by dozens of federal agencies and who to call for information. It also gives you that crucial what-is-this-darn-database-called edge when filing your FOIAs. Call BTS at (202) 366-DATA or order from the Web site at http://www.bts.gov.
Keep in mind that nearly everything collected federally comes from a local agency first - so updated and complete information might be just around the corner instead of in D.C. Cultivate your state police department for freeway accident data, your city police department for pedestrian hit-and-runs, your county transportation department for road condition and traffic information, your state Department of Natural Resources for boating or snowmobile accidents.
Heather Newman can be reached by e-mail at newman@freepress.com
Colliding databases (#816) By Elizabeth Marchak The Plain Dealer
Aviation reporting is complicated and time-consuming. The computer makes it even more so. A few notes of caution: Don't wait until deadline. Learn what offices the FAA, the NTSB and the IG have in your area. If they hang up, don't give up. The aviation community has a low opinion of reporters. You have to convince them you are serious.
Develop sources you never quote. People you can double-check your findings with are more valuable than anybody who can give you a pithy quote on deadline. Secret sources are your reality check.
Have a plane crash plan in place in your newsroom. Know how your community plans to respond. Develop contacts at the NTSB, which investigates plane crashes (not the FAA). Learn the schedule for the release of reports and opening of dockets.
Know how to search for accidents and incident data. Know how to search for a whole fleet using the four-digit OP code, or operator code. (Computer data for one plane is rarely sufficient and is unfair to the operator.) Know ATA or airplane system codes. Know how to search for N-numbers and serial numbers. (A tail number or an N-number may change, but a serial number shouldn't.) And learn the lingo, but keep it out of your stories. Learn to put repairs and problems in context. A rash of reports of lavatory and exit lights problems are far less serious than air returns for lack of radar. Remember, it's what isn't reported that is often the real problem. Don't use data on deadline you've never seen before. There's a really good reason Web pages have disclaimers about completeness - they really don't have everything. Many news organizations have ignored these warnings and shoved data into the paper or on the air, making huge mistakes, missing important angles or ruining their credibility with potential sources in the process.
File FOIAs on every single aviation entity in your area. This is the best way to find out who has been inspected and when, who has been "violated" (FAA slang for who has been investigated for violating regulations), and what action the FAA took. File for every single significant event, too. There are FOIA officers out there who love a well-written request on something nobody else is paying attention to, so let er rip.
Elizabeth Marchak can be reached by e-mail at marchak@digex.com