| Forensic science |
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| Forensic pathology Forensic dentistry Forensic anthropology Forensic entomology Forensic archaeology |
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| Forensic engineering Forensic linguistics Forensic materials engineering Forensic polymer engineering Fire investigation Vehicular accident reconstruction |
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| Crime scene CSI effect Trace evidence Skid mark Use of DNA in forensic entomology |
Vehicular accident reconstructions are often conducted by specialized units in law enforcement agencies or private consultants, to answer questions about automobile accidents, such as who was driving, who was breaking the law, where were the victims seated, were they using seat belts? Through accident reconstruction, rigorous analysis is done, with expert witnesses that can present results at trial. Accident reconstructions are done in cases involving fatalities, and often when personal injury is involved. They are often used to assist the trier of fact to assess legal liability in civil lawsuits.
Factors looked at during accident reconstruction include steering angles, braking, use of lights, turn signals, speed, acceleration, engine rpm, cruise control, and anti-lock brakes. Witnesses are interviewed during accident reconstruction, and physical evidence such as tire marks are examined. The length of a skid mark can often allow calculation of the original speed of a vehicle for example. Vehicle speeds is frequently under-estimated by a driver, so an independent estimate of speed is often essential in accidents. Inspection of the road surface is also vital, especially when traction has been lost due to black ice, diesel fuel contamination or obstacles such as debris.
Results from accident reconstructions are also useful in developing recommendations for making roads and highways safer, as well as improving safety aspects of motor vehicle designs.
Forensic engineers are also often employed to conduct in depth collision analysis and reconstruction to identify the collision causation and contributing factors in different types of collisions, including the role of the driver(s), vehicle(s), roadway and the environment. The laws of physics and engineering principles such as the conservation of linear momentum, work-energy methods, and kinematics are the basis for these analyses and may make use of software to calculate useful quantities.
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Forensic Animation in Accident Reconstruction
Forensic animation typically depicts all or part of an accident sequence in a video format so that non-technical parties, such as juries, can easily understand the expert's opinions regarding that event. To be physically realistic, an animation needs to be created by someone with a knowledge of physics, dynamics and (preferably) engineering. When animations are used in a courtroom setting, they should be carefully scrutinized. Animation software can be easily misused, because motions which are not physically possible can be displayed. A reliable animation must be based on physical evidence and calculations which embody the laws of physics, and the animation should only be used to demonstrate in a visual fashion the underlying calculations made by the expert analyzing the case.
Accident Reconstruction Software
Like may other technical activities, accident reconstruction has been revolutionized by the use of powerful, inexpensive computers and specialty software. Various types of accident reconstruction software are used to recreate crash and crime scenes and to perform other useful tasks involved in reconstructing collisions. Accident reconstruction software is regularly used by law enforcement personnel and consultants to analyze a collision and to demonstrate what occurred in an accident. Examples of types of software used by accident reconstructionists are CAD (computer aided design) programs, vehicle specification databases, momentum and energy analysis programs, collision simulators, and photogrammetry software.
References
See also
- Forensic animation
- Fatal Accident Reconstruction Team
- Forensic engineering
- Skid marks
- Trace evidence
External links
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