ISP release new tool to aid with driver safety

Winter weather will soon be here and the first snowfall is expected over the weekend.

Earlier this week Indiana State Police released a new, interactive online tool just in time for holiday travel and inclement weather.

It is called the Daily Crash Prediction Map. Users can search the map using a three hour period. Any area in the state can be searched and see how a particular area is color coded. Areas are marked by different colors to show the probability of a crash happening on that date and at that time. The map refreshes each day  at midnight.

ISP pulls data from various sources that go as far back as 2004. That data in turn creates a daily prediction.

“This provides historical information along with other data sources such as weather information, road information, census information, and it brings this forecast,” said Major Mike White with Indiana State Police.

The goal of the map is to help public safety officials and Indiana residents be safer on the roads. The knowledge of traffic accidents in certain areas, can help drivers know to avoid the area or be cautious in that area. On average, public safety officials respond to about 200,000 crashes in Indiana each year.

“What we want to do is bring this forecast to people on a daily basis where they can go to it themselves and can pull up to see over a decade of crash reports that go back to see over a decade worth of crash information," White added.

In the future, officials hope to add a feature to the map that shows when there is an active crash. They also hope to create a smart-phone add. To read more, click here.