The objective of this project is to develop a prototype system that demonstrates the potential of using existing closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras to detect and monitor traffic conflicts. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has deployed more than 365 cameras that are currently used for manual verification of events and road-conditions on the freeway system. These cameras are connected and can be accessed over the network. The cameras have the potential to be used as a sensor to perform real-time detection of near-miss crashes/traffic conflicts. This technique has gained wide popularity as a surrogate for measuring traffic safety.
The benefits of developing a prototype system are to potentially deploy such a system statewide as a proactive safety detection sensor and also to report safety performance. The project is proposed for the freeway system because the video from the existing traffic cameras is readily available.