Traffic crashes and their outcomes have traditionally been used as road safety indicators. However, they provide only an incomplete glimpse of the traffic safety risks. Other indicators of potential traffic safety hazards and risks include traffic citations and their characteristics, repeat violators and types of their violations, and outcomes from the adjudication processes of traffic citations. 

This presentation will provide an overview of key steps in processes involved between when traffic citations are issued and adjudicated. It will address data linkages and gaps in traffic citations and adjudication data. in Nevada within and between Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and Judicial Agencies (JAs). Key elements in this context include plans, policies, programs, procedures, and practices (5Ps) and people involved that are integral to the state's traffic safety enhancement initiatives. 

The presentation will touch upon various players and organizations involved in the processes from when a Law Enforcement Officer interacts with a road user to issue a citation to when the citation is adjudicated by a jurisdictional Judicial Agency. It will summarize considerations in the state of Nevada, and related challenges. It will highlight findings from a review of the literature related to exemplary strategies and practices adopted in states across the US.

A prime key motivation of this initiative is to reduce, if not eliminate, the gaps between the first contact a law enforcement officer has with a road user and any resultant adjudication. This in turn is to help improve processes to identify and track repeat offenders, and to take appropriate actions to minimize risks they pose to other road users.