Crash Modification Factors

Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) are numerical values used to estimate how much a safety measure or change, like adding a traffic signal or changing road design, can reduce or increase vehicle crashes. For example, a CMF of 0.8 suggests the modification could decrease crashes by 20%, while a CMF of 1.2 indicates a potential 20% increase. CMFs help planners and engineers predict the safety impacts of their projects based on historical data, guiding decisions to improve road safety efficiently without solely relying on trial-and-error.