How do you photograph an accident scene?

Answer 1

Vehicular accidents should be photographed as follows:
+ Position of where vehicles came to rest - this aids in accident reconstruction
+ Vehicle damage - angled shots do not show the depth of damage like profile and face-on views do; trying to capture damage evidence before vehicle is damaged in transit; hold up items that will assist in determining scales to aid in determining size of damage; if the other vehicle left the accident scene without reporting the accident be sure to shoot paint transfer on your vehicle and height of damage
+ Debris and tire tracks/skid marks - complete before cleanup and weather disturb the scene; take shots that show scale (distance between vehicles and length of skid) using landmarks and relative vehicle size by shooting from broad side and incorporating as much scene breadth and depth as possible, direction of vehicle travel by shooting the length of the skid and including vehicle at rest
+ Both vehicles' tires - include tread depth and the contact patch
+ Obstructions - shoot from inside vehicle
+ Witness view - shoot at their eye level from their vantage point
+ Interior of any vehicle in an injury or fatal accident - shoot interior vehicle parts showing evidence of body contact

Tips:
+ Use polarized lens to limit glare and a flash for night time and vehicle interior pictures
+ Do not photograph injuries to others at the accident scene; however, do photograph those involved if they appear unharmed
+ Include landmarks to help denote scale and position
+ Maintain a chain of custody for photo processing