CARSP and ITE Canada are partnering to offer the ITE Canada/CARSP 2023 Joint Conference, to take place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, from June 4-7, 2023.  While the conference will reflect the blending of many aspects of both conferences, the “Call for Abstracts” processes will not be merged or blended.  ITE Canada and CARSP will be hosting two separate “Calls for Abstracts”. Because historically, the two “Calls” have different procedures and criteria, it was felt that running them separately would maintain the integrity of each process.  While the “Calls” are to be run separately, the goal will be to blend the accepted abstracts throughout the technical program. Authors are invited to submit to either or both competitions, however if it is submitted to both, it will only be reviewed by one review panel.  Which review panel does the review will be up to the conference’s Technical Committee. 

Authors are asked to relate their submission to the conference Theme, which is: Road Safety: Creating Impact through Diversity, however submissions not related to the Theme will also be accepted. The Theme stems from a belief that the provision of safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation systems requires integrated actions and policies to meet the needs of different stakeholders including diverse users and decision makers. While evolving technologies and mobility solutions present unique opportunities, implementation of a multidisciplinary approach is essential to ensure the safe and efficient operation of transportation systems which are accessible by all users. The theme of this conference will focus on enhancing safety, sustainability, and equity in transportation in the face of complex and competing priorities in a rapidly changing environment.

1) Introduction - Call for Abstracts

The CARSP 2023 Call for Abstracts is now open. Authors have two stream choices: Policy and Practice OR Research and Evaluation. Abstracts must include the sections outlined in the "Abstract Requirements" below, depending on the stream chosen. Abstracts can be on a wide array of road safety topics and, when possible, should relate to the overall conference theme "Road Safety: Creating Impact through Diversity". However, abstracts on other topics will be accepted. In addition to stream choice, authors also have the choice of doing a paper and a presentation OR just a presentation (no paper). Starting with the 2022 CARSP Conference, presentation-only authors now have two presentation choices: verbal or poster. Those submitting papers must do a verbal presentation. Once submitted, all abstracts are reviewed by three peer reviewers who use a set of criteria to judge the abstract for acceptance. The final decision is based upon reviewers’ feedback, and if needed by the Technical Program committee. After the conference, all papers and slide deck presentations will be available on the CARSP website for download by delegates. The conference proceedings, however, will only include the papers which were presented during the conference.

2) Abstract Requirements

The abstract requirements depend on the stream you choose.  The sections required for each stream are listed below.  Furthermore, abstract length, for either stream, should be no more than 500 words total.

Research and Evaluation Abstracts/Papers

• Background - Why was undertaking this research important; what led to the research being conducted?
• Aims - What were you trying to achieve (i.e., rationale, objectives) or what were the proposed outcomes?
• Methods - How was the research undertaken; what was the process/steps?
• Results - What were your findings?
• Discussion and conclusions - What did you learn from the research; were there any limitations or challenges; what are the implications for road safety; what is next for the project/organization?

Policy and Practice Abstracts/Papers

• Context - What was the problem/issue you were addressing? What evidence supports the development of this program or policy?
• Objectives - What were you trying to achieve (i.e., rationale, objectives); what were the proposed outputs (i.e., key deliverables, target group reached).
• Target Group - Who is the program directed at?
• Activity(ies) - Provide a description of the program’s activity(ies), including the nature of the activity(ies) (e.g., legislation, education, enforcement, etc.) and how they were developed and delivered?
• Deliverables
• What outputs came from this work?
• How will this information be applied?
• What lessons were learned?

3) Topics

Abstracts are welcome on any aspect of road safety, including, but not limited to, the topics listed below as well as the conference theme. Please note that the sub-topics are merely examples.

Vehicles and Vehicle Systems

• Collision avoidance
• Collision protection
• Commercial vehicle safety
• Off-road vehicle safety
• Crash investigation and reconstruction
• Automated and Connected Vehicles

Traffic Engineering/Road Design

• Impact of road design
• Traffic operations and traffic control devices
• Intelligent transportation systems
• Speed limit setting/monitoring

Injury Prevention

• Epidemiology of crashes/injuries
• Occupant protection
• Biomechanics of injury crashes
• Automotive medicine

Enforcement/Legal Issues

• Enforcement strategies
• Alcohol and drugs
• Legal aspects of crashes

Safety Initiatives

• Safety promotion programs
• Community and partnership engagement
• Integrated road safety strategies

Policy and Program Development

• Societal costs of crashes
• Application of policies and programs
• Application of legislation/regulations

Road Users/Behavioral Issues

• Epidemiology of crashes or injuries
• Specific road users approaches/research (e.g. pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist)
• Human factors and traffic psychology

4) Important Deadlines

Please note: The inability to meet the following deadlines may preclude the acceptance of your abstract/paper/poster/presentation at the conference and/or its’ inclusion in the conference proceedings.

Full Paper Submissions

Abstract Deadline is November 9 23, 2022 

• Notification of acceptance by January 31, 2023
• Manuscripts must be submitted to your speaker portal by March 7, 2023
• Reviewers' comments to authors by April 11, 2023
• Final papers must be submitted by authors by April 28, 2023
• Slide Deck Presentations must be submitted by May 19, 2023

Slide Deck/Poster Presentation Only Submissions

Abstract Deadline is November 9 23, 2022 

• Notification of acceptance by January 31, 2023
• Presentation (slide deck OR document outlining content of poster) must be submitted by May 9, 2023

If you have any questions, or would like further information, please email info@carsp.ca

The Fine Print

By submitting an abstract to the ITE Canada/CARSP Joint Conference in Winnipeg you agree to a copyright release, should your abstract be accepted, that allows us to publish your work (i.e. slidedeck and, if applicable, paper). Papers are intended to be made available to conference attendees and ITE Canada or CARSP members. Slidedecks may be available to the public.  If you do not agree with this release, please do not submit an abstract.

5) Selection Process and Review Criteria

For the exact criteria used to judge the abstracts please download this document: Criteria and Review Process_2023_English. Each stream of presentations has a top award. For the Research and Evaluation Stream, only written papers are considered, and the top paper receives the Charles H. Miller Award. For the Policy and Practice Stream, new this year, both papers and slide-deck only presentation abstracts will be considered, and the top abstract receives the Mavis Johnson Traffic Safety Award. 

6) Resources for Writing Papers and Developing Slide Deck Presentations

• Instructions for writing papers - CARSP 2023 English
• Slide-Deck Information, Guidelines and Speaking Tips
• Five tips for developing a brain-friendly presentation