This library is approved for 803 minutes of legal continuing education in California and 11.0 hours CLEE PA MPOETC.
This on-demand library contains 39 videos designed to serve as a resource for first responders to crashes, investigators, reconstructionists, and prosecutors. The only complete collection of presentations on traffic crash investigation and prosecution, the library is divided into three subject matter areas:
The Scientific Foundation for Crash Reconstruction and Follow-up Investigation
This section examines the science that supports crash reconstruction and follow-up efforts. Section topics include:
- The basic physics principles that form the foundation for collision reconstruction calculations
- Extensive discussions of Newton’s Laws of Motion
- Exploration of crash-related concepts including center of mass, gravitational acceleration, time-distance-speed relationships, kinetic energy, and conservation of energy
Speed Estimates from Braking Evidence
This section examines the science that supports speed estimates from braking evidence. Section topics include:
- Fundamentals of speed from tire mark evidence, including skid and ABS tire marks
- Extensive discussion about drag factor measurements, including drag sled and accelerometer measurements, and a discussion of potential accelerometer misuse
- The speed-from-skid equation, with explanations about the input variables, with extensive comments about braking efficiency considerations
- Potential challenges on the evidence, with the necessary background for defending the evidence against unfair attacks at trial
Pedestrian Crash Investigation / Reconstruction
This section examines the science that supports pedestrian crash reconstruction and follow-up efforts. Section topics include:
- Location of impact
- Pre-crash movement of the pedestrian
- Methods for estimating vehicle speed
- Speed from skid mark evidence
- ABS evidence
- Pedestrian throw equations
- Pedestrian head strikes on the vehicle
- The use of digital evidence from the EDR
- A discussion of various attacks on the evidence or speed estimates that may be used by defense experts
Access content by Prof. John Kwasnoski and other national experts anytime on any device, and keep current with the latest in crash investigation and reconstruction.
