Nearly all high school students know of someone that has ...



Reducing Teen Driver Fatalities

Group #109

Humanities Graders: Kenneth Bingham, Valerie Fox

Technical Advisor: Paul Oh

Date: 2/28/06

Sean Killeen

Valerie Fox – Section 029

Steve Evasic

Kenneth Bingham – Section 006

Bryan Mohan

James Zigarelli – Section 020

Michael Morgenstern

Robert Finegan – Section 021

Daniel Lach

Valerie Fox – Section 013

Problem Statement

Nearly all high school students know of someone that has been involved in a car crash of some kind. This is cause for quite a bit of concern. Car crashes are the number one killer of teen’s ages 15-18 today, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation website. Why does this alarming statistic exist? We want to manufacture or devise something to reduce the teen driver fatality rate. Before we can do this, intensive research and thorough analysis of data must be completed to understand where the problem actually lies and if it is solvable. There are just too many variables to take into account during an accident. Trying to point towards one specific reason regarding the cause of an accident is daunting. So far, the speculation regarding these accidents has been just that, speculation. No current methods used can provide the complete picture as to why an accident happened. By researching various accident reports and statistical data, we hope to identify trends to formulate a hypothesis. Designing and conducting surveys and experiments with young drivers may be an insightful tool to help validate this hypothesis. Once we create a hypothesis that can be proven with the aforementioned experiments, we can then use it to develop potential laws or products to achieve our goal of lowering teen mortalities due to automobile accidents. There will always be teen driver fatalities. However, if we can find the root of this problem, we can work out ways to reduce them. We would consider a well documented, easily proven hypothesis a success through which we can build upon.

Introduction/Background

There is a wealth of information regarding teen driving fatalities. These statistics do no provide us any insight into what might be causing the accidents, unless we filter out unwanted information and decide what is useful. A quick search on the internet would reveal millions of hits when searching for keywords such as “teen driver fatalities.” We found numerous articles and websites that deal with our topic, but how can we determine if those sources are reputable? The determination of whether the source is reputable is just as important as the research itself. One of the biggest problems in finding reputable data for car accidents is what the organizations reasoning for collecting and sharing the data. For example, an insurance agency may show stunning death rates in order to scare the general public into buying insurance from their company. By analyzing our main sources, we hope to prove that they show honest statistical data and have a true concern for our nation’s teen driving fatality problems. Many sources were used to research this problem, but three main sources provided the most pertinent and thorough information. The first seminal source would be the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and specifically the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance department of their organization. The CDC is a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is the principal health branch of the United States government. This is one key to a very reputable source. Also, the CDC’s main mission is to use research to improve the health and lives of people affected by disease, injuries and environmental health hazards. They also conduct specific research on teen mortalities, stating motor-vehicle accidents to be the main cause, accounting for 32.3 % of teen deaths (Youth Risk, 2). With the CDC’s overall mission and their government support, this is surely a reputable source of data. Another important source for our research is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Despite its deceiving name (an insurance institute), it is actually a non-profit organization that focuses on the research and analysis of crash data to gain a better scientific understanding of the problem. Their programs are said to, “help reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage from motor vehicle crashes. Reducing such losses is why the institute exists” (About the Institute, par 8). One more reason this source is recognized is that they have dedicated much specific effort and time into the subject of teen drivers. They have actually produced a video titled, “Young Drivers: The High Risk Years.” That proves they have taken a lot of time in developing their data for this topic. The final source that we used for most of our research is possibly the most reputable of them all for this specific topic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a branch of United States Department of Transportation, which is the national organization for ensuring transportation safety. The NHTSA is specifically focused on reducing death and injuries resulting from driving accidents and is the primary source for statistics and data relating to all traffic accidents. Also, the NHTSA, “conducts research on driver behavior and traffic safety” (About NHTSA, par 4). This further proves the NHTSA’s involvement in the subject. In the past, the problem of teenage driver fatalities has not gone without consideration and several attempts to solve it. One such approach to improve the situation was a series of “graduated licensing systems,” implemented by the Pennsylvania legislature. “These systems gradually introduce inexperienced drivers to more difficult driving situations as they master steps along the way” (Teen Driving in Pennsylvania). This involvement by the legislature was a good step towards the common goal yet falls short in the fact that the death rate still remains quite high.

Proposed Design

Criteria

We will formulate a working hypothesis based on the data collected on teenage crash statistics. Our hypothesis will theorize what we feel is the most prevalent issue surrounding teenage accidents. This hypothesis will be formulated using our understanding of the data we have collected. Experiments based upon statistical parameters tailored for this hypothesis will then be designed and executed. These experiments must be plausible for our group to perform, yet lead towards the validation of the hypothesis. We will consider an experimentally and statistically supported hypothesis a success.

Alternatives

Some of the alternatives we had thought about were constructing surveys to be filled out by high school students and college freshmen on driving habits and accidents. This idea was rejected because the sample size for a 95% confidence interval with a population of 1000 needed to be close to 300 based on data from sample size calculation table provided by Northern Arizona University. There were also concerns that the data collected in the surveys would not represent a random sample of the whole population based on the location of the school. Another alternative would be to purchase driver cams to monitor driving habits of teenagers. This was rejected because it would take more time than was available and also cost would be an issue if we were to purchase several of them. We concluded that to get a good sample of the population would be nearly impossible and time consuming. The data gathered during the monitoring period might not reveal any useful information as to the causes of teen crashes.

Constraints

The main constraint of this problem is that is it virtually un-solvable. The complexity of a teen driver’s thought process is something that just simply cannot be grasped scientifically. Therefore, we must rely on crash statistics to form the basis of our hypothesis. This data may be incomplete or conflicting which may lead us to false conclusions. Finally, there is a problem finding reputable sources for information and conducting relevant studies. Because this topic is so complex, it can be very hard to determine what information is relevant and conclusive enough to use in the formulation of a strong hypothesis.

Statement of Work or Method of Solution

Statistical analysis of crash data is of key importance in our research into the possible reasons for the occurrence of accidents. One important statistical parameter is how big of a sample is needed to obtain data from so it accurately reflects the entire population. The data used in our statistical analysis was obtained through the Fatality Analysis Reporting System from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A query was created to list all reported incidents involving a driver of a motor vehicle between the ages of 16 and 20 inclusive in the state of Pennsylvania resulting in at least one fatality. Further information was also included in the query such as day of the week, time of accident and road, atmosphere, and vehicle conditions. Other considerations such as the Blood Alcohol Content of driver, drug test results, number of passengers and the number of fatalities were included as well. Our query resulted in 290 instances. The Survey Systems’ “Sample Size Calculator” was then used to compute the sample sized needed for a 95% confidence interval with a margin or error of +/- 5%. This calculation resulted in a sample population size of 290. We could not use a smaller sample population in our analysis because the population was not large enough to be accurately represented by a smaller sampling. This was not a major concern because our population was only limited to Pennsylvania and had a total of 290 cases.

Once we have the relevant data in hand, we will analyze it and look for trends. The creation of charts will aid us in this analysis. The trends can then be used to prepare a hypothesis describing a common, yet fixable cause of teenage driver accidents. This hypothesis might also lend itself to further experimentation, which can be used to continually optimize it. In the end, we will propose a method to reduce accidents based upon this tested hypothesis.

(For charts representing the data gathered in our initial research please see Appendix C.)

Qualifications

Please refer to résumé’s in Appendix A.

Schedule

See Gantt chart in Appendix B.

Summary

The problem of teen driving fatalities is a growing one that needs to be addressed in greater detail then what is being done currently. We will formulate a hypothesis based on the data collected and further established by the experiments we plan to conduct. In the future we hope to be able to use the hypothesis in an effort to combat teenage driver fatalities.

Works Cited

“About NHTSA.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2006.

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“About the Institutes.” Insurance Institute For Highway Safety. 2006. .

“Query: Create a Query.” Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)Web-Based Encyclopedia. 2004. National Highway traffic Safety Administration. 1 March 2006 < >.

“Sample Size Calculator.” The Survey System. 2003. Creative Research Systems. 1 March 2006 < >.

“Teen Driving in Pennsylvania.” 2006. Edgar Snyder and Associates. 1 March 2006 .

“Teen Driving Statewide Statistics.” 2005. Kansas Department of Transportation. 1 March 2006< >.

“Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance – United States, 2003.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2004. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 21 May 2004 .

Appendix A:

Sean Killeen

sean.killeen@drexel.edu

804 -B 1532 Poplar St

101 N 34th St Northampton, PA 18067

Philadelphia, PA 19104 610-261-9218

484-515-5679

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Education

Drexel University Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor of Science Anticipated Graduation - June, 2010

Mechanical Engineering Cumulative GPA: 3.5

Honors and Awards

• A.J. Drexel Scholarship • Senior Class President

• Eagle Scout • National Honor Society

Relevant Coursework

Calculus I, II, III Physics I, II, III

ChemistryI, II, III Engineering Design Laboratory I, II, III

Freshman Engineering Design I, II, III

Work Experience

Boy Scouts of America Kresgeville, PA

Project COPE Facilitator(Camp Counselor) June to August, 2005

Staffed Boy Scout high adventure and teambuilding course with four other people. Facilitated teambuilding and leadership activities for groups of 25 participants. Organized and maintained an inventory of climbing gear. Instructed climbing, belaying, and rappelling. Role model for campers. Volunteered to assisted other program areas as needed.

Boy Scouts of America Kresgeville, PA

Dining Hall Steward/Prep Cook(Camp Counselor) June to August, 2002 - 2004

Supervised and trained a staff of six people. Arranged seating of 300 people for eight weeks. Coordinated the cooking and clean up of breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Estimated usage of bread, milk, and other dairy products and ordered accordingly. Resolved problems expressed by leaders.

Computer Skills

• Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint • Windows OS

• Macintosh OS • Maple

• LabView • AutoCAD

Freshman Engineering Design Project

Conduct surveys and statistical analysis to formulate hypothesis regarding teen driver accident rates. Propose possible solutions to lessen accident rate.

Steve Evasic

216 Woodland Dr

Nazareth, PA 18064

610-759-9103

stephen.evasic@drexel.edu

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Education

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Anticipated Graduation - June, 2010

Cumulative GPA: 3.65

Work Experience

Giant Food Stores, Nazareth, PA

Dairy Associate, August, 2003 to January, 2006

Responsible for maintaining a healthy, clean, and stocked dairy department at all times. Required knowledge of product lines and order schedules to ensure full shelves and adequate back stock.

Received award for most outstanding customer service, February, 2005.

Honors and Awards

• Drexel University, Dean's List, December, 2005.

• Roland J. Wotring Scholarship (approx $10000), May, 2005.

Computer Skills

• Hardware: IBM, Macintosh

• Software: Adobe Photoshop, AutoCAD

• Languages: C++, Java, Visual Basic, HTML, COBOL

• Operating Systems: Windows 98, XP Pro, Mac OS X, DOS

Relevant Coursework

Calculus II Physics II

Chemistry II Engineering Labs II

Engineering Design II

Volunteer Experience

• Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Moorestown, PA

• Helped with church events

• Maintained property

• Assisted the elderly

Activities

• Drexel ASME

• Drexel University FSAE

• Drexel Intramural Volleyball, Fall 2005

Bryan S Mohan

2 Welles Ct

Piscataway, NJ 08854

732-463-2253

bryan.s.mohan@drexel.edu

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Education

Drexel University Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Anticipated Graduation - June 2010

Relevant Coursework

Chemistry/Biology Foundations of Engineering II Engineering Design Lab II

Mathematical Foundations of Engineering II Freshman Engineering Design II

Physical Foundations of Engineering II

Honors and Awards

• Mike Capaso Award - Presented by Piscataway High School Athletic Department for displaying Courage, Attitude, and Perseverance, 2005

Employment Experience

Bett-A-Way Traffic Systems South Plainfield, NJ

Dispatcher June 2005 - September 2005

• Talked to carriers and confirm the status of shipments

• Input the pickup and delivery dates/times of the loads into the computer system

• Reported all unclaimed loads to my superior and make sure they get taken care of

• Call customers and schedule delivery dates/times and input them into the computer system

Red Lobster Bridgewater, NJ

Busboy February 2005 - June 2005

• Organized and maintained cleanliness of dining room

• Prepared seating arrangements for incoming guests

• Optimized table space to enhance guests dining experience

Big Ed's BBQ Piscataway, NJ

Food Runner August 2003 - November 2004

• Prepared and delivered food orders

• Reported any complaints a customer may have to a manager

• Organized and stocked the wait stations

Computer Skills

• PC.

• AutoCAD, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint.

• Windows 98/2000/XP.

Activities

Temple's School of Karate Dunellen, NJ

Student Instructor/Student 1995-2001

• Earned black belt in Isshinryu Karate.

Daniel Lach

daniel.lach@drexel.edu

277 -B 6155 Holly Hill Ct.

3301 Race St New Tripoli, PA 18066

Philadelphia, PA 19104 610-760-9374

610-739-0680

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Education

Drexel University Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor of Science Anticipated Graduation - June, 2010

Electrical Engineering Cumulative GPA: 3.75

Honors and Awards

• National Honor Society

Relevant Coursework

Calculus I, II, III Physics I, II, III

Chemistry I, II, III Engineering Design Laboratory I, II, III

Freshman Engineering Design I, II, III

Work Experience

Rollies Ice Cream New Tripoli, PA

Customer Service/ Sales Specialist September to September, 2004- 2005

Served customers as well as ensured cleanliness and high customer service. Also worked cash register and assembled products to customer specifications

H.H. Urban Painting Allentown, PA

Painter June to September, 2005

Painted several homes as well as other handy work. Also renovated houses and added new walls and floors to buildings

Computer Skills

• Microsoft Excel, Word, Powerpoint • Windows OS

• Macintosh OS • Maple

• LabView • AutoCAD

Freshman Engineering Design Project

Conduct surveys and statistical analysis to formulate hypothesis regarding teen driver accident rates. Propose possible solutions to lessen accident rate.

Mike Morgenstern

Michael.morgenstern@drexel.edu

711-B 541 Bauer Road

101 N 34th St. Bath, Pa 18014

Philadelphia, PA 19104 610-759-8797

610-216-8536

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Education

Drexel University Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor of Science Anticipated Graduation - June, 2010

Electrical Engineering

Honors and Awards

Relevant Coursework

Calculus I, II, III Physics I, II, III

Chemistry I, II, III Engineering Design Laboratory I, II, III

Freshman Engineering Design I, II, III

Work Experience

Giant Food Store Nazareth, PA

Customer Dairy Associate, January to February, 2004

Responsible for maintaining a healthy, clean, and stocked dairy department at all times. Required knowledge of product lines and order schedules to ensure full shelves and adequate back stock.

Red Robin Restaurants Nazareth, PA

Cook April, 2004 to January, 2005

Responsible for maintaining a healthy and clean station while preparing extraordinary food service.

Computer Skills

• Microsoft Excel, Word, Powerpoint • Windows OS

• Macintosh OS • Maple

• LabView • AutoCAD

Freshman Engineering Design Project

Conduct surveys and statistical analysis to formulate hypothesis regarding teen driver accident rates. Propose possible solutions to lessen accident rate.

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Appendix C:

Data obtained and compiled from a query from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Web-Based Encyclopedia (see works cited). Parameters: drivers ages 16-20, involved in a crash resulting in at least one fatality within Pennsylvania.

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