What every finding should show
- Name the source, dates covered, update date, place, and important rules for which records were included.
- Separate reported crash records from all crashes that may have happened. Also show when records could not be placed on the map.
- Call a number a rate only when the comparison group or denominator is clearly defined.
- Describe patterns in the records without claiming that one thing caused another.
- Say “highest recorded count in this window” instead of using labels such as “most dangerous.”
How findings are checked
A material finding should be traceable to a documented query, public page, or downloadable summary. Automated summaries are reviewed before they are promoted as editorial findings. When revised source data changes a conclusion, the page should be updated and the change recorded.
Respect for people
Crash records describe events that affected real people. Public pages avoid targeting victims, reducing people to labels, guessing at case value, or publishing personal detail that is not needed to understand the data.
Independence
Consulting work may help us understand how people use the product, but it does not change our data rules. Sponsored research, supplied data, and important conflicts are labeled where they matter.