The investigative team at The Dallas Morning News relied heavily on the data analysis skills of reporter Jennifer LaFleur. LaFleur has also led computer-assisted-reporting projects at the San Jose Mercury News and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She has taught journalism at the University of Missouri and American University and is co-author of a book on computer-assisted reporting. (Read LaFleur’s tips for using data for investigative reporting here.)

But data mining skills are not just for journalists. Check out LaFleur’s tips for mining data in her column, Citizen Watchdog, which tells readers how to apply investigative reporting techniques in their own lives -- including how to background check daycare providers, where to learn about recalls of dangerous household products, and how to find out what information the government is collecting about you.

Tag(s): Accidents , Jennifer LaFleur , Trucking , computer-assisted reporting
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EXPOSÉ’s “Eyes on the Road” has its broadcast premiere tonight. Check local listings. Check back here Monday for the full episode online.

When an 18-wheel truck and a family van collided on a Texas highway, ten people were killed in the crash. Reporters from The Dallas Morning News began investigating the incident and found that more than 5,000 Americans die each year in accidents involving commercial trucks. After a 14-month investigation, the reporters found the deregulation of interstate shipping in the 1980s had lead to a number of concerns: a proliferation of companies moving in and out of the industry, the use of felons and drivers whose backgrounds were not thoroughly checked, and a shortage of inspectors to enforce standards and take unsafe carriers of the road.

>> Read the original reports in The Dallas Morning News.

Tag(s): Accidents , Trucking
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