Lunds universitet/Institutionen för naturgeografi och ekosystemvetenskap
Abstract
Today, Swedish police authorities nationwide collect data of traffic accidents. The information is stored in a national database managed by the Swedish Transport Agency and is an important resource in the process of analysing and improving road safety. Literature studies in this thesis, together with earlier work by the author have suggested that the data collection process is in need of an update: a digital tool for such data collection is necessary. Problems with varying quality of data and long submission times of reports have been attributed to the current method, which involves a paper form. A digital method including a handheld device is expected to improve data quality and shorten overall submission times. The aim of the thesis has thus been to design and develop a mobile GIS system for collection and management of traffic accident information for police authorities. The project has utilized mainly open source tools. The result is a system containing an Android application for data collection, a database server with a database for storage, an application server/web server to host a software server (map server), and a web server that handles requests and hosts a web service for viewing and retrieving data. The created system can collect all of the information that the currently used analogue method does as well as new media such as GPS coordinates, photographs and audio. The functionality of the web service demonstrates that data is collected and stored in suitable formats in a database schema that is flexible enough to facilitate a wide range of queries relevant to the field of road safety.The thesis describes the design and development of an Android mobile application for collecting and reporting information about traffic accidents. Additional components such as servers and a web service with a map are also included. Together with the mobile application they form a system for reporting, storage and analysis of information about traffic accidents. The tools and components that have been chosen are mainly open source, which means that they are accessible and free for everyone to use and create their own system. Swedish police authorities nationwide are currently collecting data of traffic accidents. The information, which is stored in a national database managed by the Swedish Transport Agency, is an important resource in the process of analysing and improving road safety. The data collection by the police has, since the beginning been intended to be conducted in the field on a hand held device, however this is not the case. Consequently the national database consists of information that has been collected by filling out paper forms that are later digitized. Varying data quality and long overall submission times have been noted as problems that can be attributed to this analogue step of the reporting process. It has been suggested that the data collection process is in need of an update: a new digital tool is necessary. The Android application, which is the main contribution, is intended as a suggestion to a digital replacement of the paper form. The functionality of the application is based on the requirements of the current paper form used by police. The created system can collect all of the information that the currently used analogue method does as well as new media such as GPS coordinates, photographs and audio. The functionality of the web service demonstrates that data is collected and stored in suitable formats in a database schema that is flexible enough to facilitate a wide range of queries relevant to the field of road safety
