The Crash Query application allows users to run custom crash queries and displays the results in real-time. Users can view the results of their queries using a GIS map interface, tables, custom graphs and charts, or downloadable CSV and PDF reports. The Crash Query application is broken into 8 sections: Date Extents, Map, Advanced Search Bar, Crash Flyout, Metrics, Chart Builder, Raw Table, and Reports Download. Each of these sections will be discussed in more detail below.

When conducting a Crash Query, it is easy to see the date range of crash data available for query. By checking the Date Extents, located in the top right corner of the screen, you can see what dates of data are available for your Query.

To modify the dates, click on the Date Extents in the menu bar, and select the date range you would like to include in your query. You can select between Default, All Time, and Other, which allows you to define a custom range of data availability for your query.

(The Date Extents drop down, selecting a custom date range.)

The map section of Crash Query displays the currently filtered crash location data in either a satellite, or map overlay. The map view will display the crashes in either a heat map, or a map point view. By default the map will display a heat map which represents crash density, with areas of higher crash concentration represented by darker blue.

(The heat map view of the Crash Query map displaying all Inattentive Driver involved crashes for Cimarron county.)

Crash query will automatically switch from the heat map view, to the cluster view, and a satellite map, when the map zooms in, allowing greater detail in specific crash locations.

In cluster view, crashes occupying the same general location are grouped into crash clusters, and color coded according to the most severe crash represented in the cluster. The number on the cluster indicates the number of crashes contained in the cluster. Clicking on a cluster will zoom the map to that location, and breakout all crashes contained in the cluster.

(A heat map view of the Crash Query map zooming in to display crash clusters.)

Users can manually toggle between the heat map, and a map point views if desired by clicking on the gear icon located under the map zoom controls. In the map point view, each crash is represented by a dot on a map, color coded according to severity. There is no grouping or clustering of crashes in the map point view. These settings will be saved, and will be applied to all map interfaces each time the user logs in. Note - the Crash Map will only display a maximum of 1,000 crashes on the map in the Dot view. If more than 1,000 crashes meet the filter criteria, they will not be displayed on the map, but their data will still be represented in the Metrics Sidebar, Chart Builder, Raw Table, and Reports.

(The map settings view toggling between the Heatmap & Clusters view, and the Dots view.)

Additionally, users can hide all of the crashes on a map using the Hide Crashes button, located at the top of the screen, next to the total number of crashes being displayed. This can be useful when configuring a query, or zooming in on a map to a specific location.

(Toggling on and off the Show/Hide Crashes setting.)

Users can scroll, and zoom the map to see the data they are interested in. As search terms are entered into the advanced search bar, the map updates and zooms in real-time to reflect the current search criteria. Users can also filter the map using the polygon, and radius filters to define geo boundaries on the map.

To use the polygon filter, click the polygon icon from the side of the map (located under the zoom out icon), and click to begin drawing the polygon. Each additional click will place a new anchor point on the map. When you have completed drawing the polygon, double click to close the polygon, and apply the filter to the map.

(A custom geo boundary filter being applied to the map using the polygon tool.)

To use the radius filter click the Draw Circle icon from the side of the map (located under the polygon filter), and click where you would like the center of the circle to be drawn. A circle will be drawn on the map with a default radius of 250 feet. You can modify the size of the radius from the Advanced Search Bar.

(A circle being applied to the map using the radius filter, and the default radius being changed from 250 feet to 500 feet, to 150 feet.)

When zoomed into a location on the map, users can use the Filter to View button to set a filter around the area of the map currently displayed.

(Applying the Filter to View on the map.)

Additionally, when zoomed in or out, users can use the Zoom to Extents button to return the map to display the current filter area (zooming in or out).

Users can also use the Download Map button to download an image file of the current map display using the Download Map icon.

The Advanced Search Bar allows users to refine their Query search by filtering by any datapoint in the available crash data. This allows users to filter by crash attributes (most harmful event, manner of collision, etc.), vehicle attributes (vehicle type, unsafe/unlawful, etc.), person attributes (severity, number of occupants, etc.), and even roadway and location attributes ( functional class, city, county, route, street name, etc.).

(The Advanced Search bar for a given city, filtering for all crashes on a given route.)

To learn more about the Advanced Search Bar, see our Advanced Search Bar article.

Clicking on a crash from the map or in the raw table, will display the crash flyout. The Crash Flyout provides an in-depth analysis of a specific crash, including a Google Streetview of the crash location, crash, vehicle, and occupant level data.

(The Crash Flyout displayed for a crash selected from the Raw Table tab.)

The Metrics tab displays a detailed breakdown of crash attributes that meet the current search criteria for the query. The first column of the Metrics table indicates the crash attribute, with the second column indicating the total number of crashes in the current search criteria that match the attribute, and the third column will indicate the percentage of crashes that match that attribute. Any attributes that have a value of zero will not be displayed in the Metrics tab by default, but can be displayed by clicking the Show All button at the bottom of the individual metric.

(The Metrics Tab displaying all of the ODOT Crash Summary metric.)

Users can use the Metrics Tab to explore data related to the crash, click on any metric to add it as a filter to the current Query. When clicked, that metric will appear in the Advanced Search Bar, and the map, Metrics, Chart Builder, and Raw Table tabs will update accordingly.

(Adding the Year 2021 filter from the Metrics Sidebar.)

Users can customize the metrics they would like displayed on each query. Any crash, vehicle, or person attribute available in the crash data can be selected, and added to the Metrics tab. Any data contained in the Metrics tab will be included in any Crash Reports generated from the Query.

To add or remove metrics, click the Manage Metrics button located in the top right corner of the Metrics Sidebar. In the Manage Metrics window, all currently selected metrics will be displayed on the left side of the screen in the order they will appear. To remove a metric, click the “X” located to the right of the metric. All metrics can be re-ordered by clicking on the stacked dots to the left of the metric, and dragging it to the desired location.

(Removing, and reordering the metrics sidebar from the Manage Metrics window.)

A list of available metrics will be displayed on the right side of the screen. To add a metric, click the “+” button next to the desired metric, and it will be added to the bottom of the list on the left. You can select between Crash, Unit, and Person metrics by clicking on the dropdown at the top of the Manage Metrics window.

(Adding several Crash, Unit, and Person metrics to the Metrics Sidebar.)

In addition to being displayed in the query, all selected metrics will be displayed in any downloaded report, allowing users to customize the content of each report. As with the Advanced Search Bar, any metrics selected for display will be saved when saving a Query.

Users can use the Chart Builder to create and download custom bar charts, stacked and grouped bar charts, line charts, pie charts, and pivot tables. Users can select from available measures and groupings to easily visualize any data available in the current Query. Each chart type can be downloaded as either a PNG image (bar, stacked bar, grouped bar, line, and pie), or as a CSV (pivot table).

Charts are saved with any Query, and can be easily referenced or downloaded from previously saved Crash Queries. Additionally, charts (excluding Pivot Tables) can be added to any Summary or Overrepresentation report.

For more information on the Chart Builder, see our Crash Query - Chart Builder article.

(Using the Chart Builder to build a grouped bar chart displaying the number of inattentive driver crashes per year.)

The Raw Table tab provides users with a raw table of all data contained in the current query. Users can customize which table to be displayed, as well as the columns of data that appear, and download the table in a CSV format.

To customize the table to display, click the Table icon, located in the bottom left corner of the Raw Table tab, then select the desired table from the menu, either Crashes, People, or Units.

To customize the columns of data in the table, click the Hide/Show Columns icon, located to the right of the Table icon. In the Hide/Show Columns window, all currently selected columns will be displayed on the left side of the screen in the order they will appear in the table. To remove a column, click the “X” located to the right of the column. All columns can be re-ordered by clicking on the stacked dots to the left of the column, and dragging it to the desired location.

A list of available columns will be displayed on the right side of the screen. To add a column to the table, click the “+” button next to the desired column, and it will be added to the bottom of the list on the left.

To download the raw table, click the Download icon at the bottom of the Raw Table tab.

(Adding, Removing and reordering the columns from the Hide/Show Columns window.)

Crash Query comes with three pre-built report options: Crash Summary Report Comparison Report, and the Overrepresenation Report. Each of these report options can be used to export the results of your query in an easy-to-share PDF, or printed report.

Reports include a summary of the report parameters (Report title, date created, created by, date range of report), the filters applied to generate the report, as well as any data contained in the Metrics tab of the current Query, and, optionally, any Charts available from the Chart Builder tab.

To download a report, click the Download icon located in the menu bar in the top right corner of the screen. From the Report Download window, select the type of report to download. Note: Overrepresentation Reports are only available with a City, or County geofilter are applied to your query.

For more information on Crash Reports, see our Crash Query - Crash Summary Report, and Crash Query - Comparison Report articles.

(Generating a Summary Report with charts.)