Specialized Services
Quality work from dedicated professionals.
Our Services
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CRASH INVESTIGATION, INSPECTIONS, AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE IMAGING
The Crash Lab, Inc. is fully equipped to conduct mechanical inspections of Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) to include the air brake system and components. We have the training and equipment necessary to reconstitute air brake systems that have been damaged in a crash to evaluate pre-crash brake system performance.
We are also equipped to perform imaging of Electronic Control Module (ECM) units from most manufacturers, including Bendix, WABCO, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, International/Navistar, and PACCAR. Please contact us for details on this service.
Crash Locus Inspections
Crash locus inspections are sometimes requested in lieu of, or prior to, forensic mapping. Photographs, hand measurements, and video are used to document the area where the crash occurred and memorialize elements related to the crash, such as debris left at the scene by involved vehicles, damaged property, skid marks left upon the roadway, tire marks/furrowing in earthen areas adjacent to the roadway, height/placement of guardrails, street lighting, and traffic light cycles. Sight distance and any potential view obstructions are also noted: foliage/trees/vegetation, utility poles, fences, or mailboxes. These are a few examples of objects that may obstruct a driver’s or a pedestrian’s view.
FORENSIC MAPPING
The purpose of forensic mapping is to accurately document a crash scene, the approach paths and final rest locations of the involved vehicles, and any physical evidence left upon or adjacent to the roadway. The Crash Lab uses total stations and the Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Global Navigation System (GNSS) to perform terrestrial forensic mapping of crash scenes. UAVs (drones) are used to perform aerial forensic mapping of a crash locus. Our reconstructionists are FAA Part 107 licensed remote pilots who participate in continuing education and testing to keep up to date with technology and regulations in this field. The use of UAVs allows us to map large areas safely and accurately.
Nighttime Conspicuity
Conspicuity refers to the likelihood that an object will be seen by an observer. In the field of crash reconstruction, this concept generally involves a pedestrian who has been struck by a vehicle due to the driver’s inability to see the pedestrian prior to the crash. A high level of conspicuity means the object (pedestrian) stands out in his/her environment enough to be seen by an approaching driver. Characteristics that make a pedestrian more conspicuous include retroreflective or bright clothing, carrying a flashlight, or movement.
Nighttime conspicuity testing involves the use of an exemplar vehicle and pedestrian at the site of the crash and is conducted when environmental and atmospheric conditions most closely mimic those existing at the time of the crash.
POINT CLOUDS
A point cloud is one of the byproducts of a UAV forensic mapping. A point cloud is an electronic, 3-Dimensional model of the crash locus that contains millions of points, and measurements between any of those points can be obtained from one of the three Forensic CAD programs utilized by The Crash Lab.
Often, point clouds are collected or generated by law enforcement, which in turn can be examined and utilized in conjunction with point clouds generated by The Crash Lab.
Point clouds are also generated when scanning a vehicle, where each virtual point represents a real point on the vehicle – any surface the laser beam comes in contact with. Measurements can be taken from any of these points and often, we are able to orient the vehicles and the manner in which they collided based upon damage.
All of our diagramming software programs integrate well with point cloud technology, allowing us to perform in-depth analysis of crash scenes that we, or law enforcement, document.
Vehicle Damage, Mechanical Inspections, Event Data Recording
Analysis of vehicle damage is an objective piece of physical evidence in a motor vehicle crash. Hands on examination and documentation of the damage, to include photographs, measuring, LiDAR scanning, and Event Data Recorder imaging, can provide a wealth of information regarding how a crash occurred, severity of the damage, how the vehicles came into contact, and how the vehicles were oriented pre- and post-crash. The Crash Lab is equipped to perform mechanical inspections to ensure a vehicle has met a state’s vehicle inspection standards. The examination includes body components, brake system, suspension system, lamp analysis, and steering system components. As part of our vehicle examination, we often use an automotive scan tool to determine if there were any pre-existing Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) recorded in the vehicle’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU).
VIDEO ANALYSIS
Surveillance video, Body Worn Camera footage, Dash Cams, and Forward-Facing camera systems can be analyzed frame by frame to determine the fact patterns of a crash or to augment a police investigation or other physical evidence collected at the scene or present on the vehicles.
Insurance Fraud
Vehicle damage analysis is key in these types of cases – where the insurance company’s SIU department is questioning the validity of an insurance claim for vehicle damage. Examination of the vehicle, to include photographs, measurements, and EDR imaging (if the vehicle is supported) can reveal whether or not the vehicle was in motion when the damage occurred, the direction the damage occurred in (front to rear or rear to front), paint analysis/cross-transfer of foreign material, and height of the damage. This information is then analyzed and compared to the reported event.
The Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction
Accreditation with ACTAR adds a new dimension to the word ‘professionalism’ in the field of Traffic Accident Reconstruction. ACTAR offers an independent credentialing examination that objectively assesses a candidate’s comprehension and application of minimum training standards of a forensic specialist in the field of motor vehicle accident investigation and reconstruction. ACTAR is committed to promoting the intellectual development of individuals, organizations and institutions involved in traffic accident investigation and reconstruction. In so doing, ACTAR encourages the integrity, consistency and professionalism of those involved in traffic accident investigation and reconstruction.
All reconstructionists at The Crash Lab are ACTAR accredited and routinely participate in continuing education and training in the field of Crash Reconstruction.