The National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) CrashworthinessData System (CDS) was establishedin 1979 to help analyze motor vehicle crashesand injuries, It collects data with researchteams at 24 sites that study about 5,000 crashes annually involving passengercars, trucks, and vans. Historically, trained researchers have collected NASS CDS data on paper data encoding forms.

Recently, the NASS program took a giant stepforward into the world of electronic crash data collection. Researchers startedcollecting datausing electronic digital methodologiesin January of 1997. In this “paperless” systemdatago directly into the database the field, rather in than on paper forms.

All casedata are transferred electronically to quality control centers,centraldatadepositories, NHTSA. An and interface is being designedfor users to accessdata and digital images. This paper will describe the process of converting from a paper to an electronic crash data collection system. This new system gives NHTSA the capability to provide quick electronic access to cases. Eventually the datawill be accessible through the Internet.