Welcome to the January 2010
Accident Reconstruction Newsletter

Below you will find the table of contents for this eNewsletter. Most of the table of contents are linked directly to the corresponding PDF document for easy viewing with the exception of the "Letter from the Editor" which is HTML based and detailed below.

If you have any questions about this newsletter please contact Scott Baker of the ARC Network (800) 280-7940 x3 or by email arc@accidentreconstruction.com.

Table of Contents 

• Letter From the Editor - What's new in the ARC Network, Collision Magazine, and Crash Data Group and the AR Industry in general
• Cargo and Securement. - By Robert Reed (Power Point)
• Speed Calculation from a Video Tape. By Mark Kimsey (PDF)
• New Book: Northwestern's "Traffic Crash Reconstruction, 2nd Edition" 
  Traffic Crash Reconstruction, 2nd Edition (2010) is a complete re-write of Traffic Accident Reconstruction, 1st Edition (1990), and is the most comprehensive treatment of the subject of vehicle crash reconstruction.
• Vehicle Crush and Crash Scene Documentation with iWitnessPRO.
  By Lee DeChant (Link to Web Site)
• Beltair Industries, Inc Proposes a New Tool in Accident Reconstruction.
  By Michael E. Belt (PDF)
• ADV: EDR Analytics a New Program for Analyzing Commercial Vehicle Downloads
  
• Factors Related to the Likelihood Of a Passenger Vehicle Occupant Being Ejected in a Fatal Crash - DOT HS 811 209
• New Book: Fundamentals of Traffic Crash Reconstruction
  by John Daily, Nathan Shigemura, Jeremy Daily
• Trends in Fatal Crashes Among Drivers With Invalid Licenses
  DOT HS 811 229
• FREE AR Software: All PC-Brake, Inc software and e-publications are available at no-cost down loads from www.pcbrakeinc.com - Rudy Limpert
  
• Lives Saved Calculations for Seat Belts and Frontal Air Bags
  DOT HS 811 206

Letter from the Editor

Here we are just finishing the first month of 2010 and we are cranking right along! We just got back from the 2010 CDR User's Summit which brought together over 200 Crash Data Retrieval User's from all over the world. Lot's of really good information was brought forward and some exciting announcements from Bosch (more on that later).

We are now jumping right into the planning and production of the 2010 ARC-CSI Crash Conference. This year we are holding it a week early (May 24-27, 2010) and will hopefully have some cooler weather! The early registration discount (SAVE $200) is now open.

Not getting ahead of myself I will break down each section of what is new with the ARC Network, Collision Publishing and Crash Data Group.

What's New in the ARC Network

First let's start with the ARC Network. Just a couple days ago we made the Photo Database live in the Member's Only section of the ARC Network. This is a brand new section allowing members to upload photos and graphics to share with other members. The ARC Network will also begin uploading many of the crash photos we have archived. The main goal of this section is to provide a database of photos and clip art that can be used by members of the ARC Network for Power Point presentations, brochures, web sites, etc.

To access the Photo Database simply log in to the ARC Network and you will see the link or look for the "Camera" graphic.

Next week we will be launching the Video Database in the Member's Only section of the ARC Network. This will be an area in the ARC Network Member's section allowing members to upload video clips to share with other members. The ARC Network will also upload many clips of crash tests we have archived. The main goal of this section is to provide a database of video clips that can be used by members of the ARC Network for research and analysis.

By the next Accident Reconstruction ENewsletter we will have the new Research Section completed and also the Member's Only Library. This is has been a long time coming but we think you will enjoy the added benefits it brings to the ARC Network community.

We have also teamed up with AIRS, Inc. to provide Accident Reconstruction Training on a global basis. We bring the training to you! Soon after announcing this we booked a week long training session in the Bahamas for their Police Service. We offer everything from Basic At-Scene Investigation to Level III Reconstruction to specific topic training.

For more information please visit www.accidentreconstructiontraining.com.

Newsletter Advertisement

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants, LLC (MSC) announces the launch of ECM Data Imaging Services. We are providing business-to-business solutions to take on and meet a growing and very important industry need.

Many individuals, companies, and agencies do not have the technology or training to image ECM data. The goal of ECM Data Imaging Services is to provide accurate and complete ECM data imaging and analysis to other businesses at an efficient cost.

With ECM Data Imaging, we are offering our expertise in ECM-related technology to our colleagues who don’t currently have the ability to preserve, retrieve, analyze, or evaluate ECM data. Other businesses that will benefit from this service include small to mid-sized forensic engineering firms, law enforcement agencies, and single-practitioner accident reconstructionists. Learn about the services we offer.

MSC is an established leader in the retrieval and analysis of ECM and Heavy Vehicle EDR-related data. Our ECM research has been peer-reviewed and published. We are the creators of EDR Analytics, a software solution for simplifying HVEDR data analysis. And our informational website on Heavy Vehicle Event Data Recorders has helped educate people around the world on this important technology. 

Our ECM Data Services include:

- ECM downloads of Detroit Diesel, Mercedes, Caterpillar, and Cummins equipped vehicles,

- ECM data evaluation and analysis,

- Assistance with complex ECM issues, such as surrogate vehicle downloads.

View a brochure about our ECM Data Imaging Services.

What's New with Collision Publishing

Collision Publishing has started 2010 full throttle! In January we hosted the 2010 CDR User's Summit in Houston, TX. About 200 CDR User's from all over the world showed up to expand their knowledge of the Bosch Crash Data Retrieval System and network with peers. A representative from GM was in the audience to field questions and Chrysler gave a presentation on their involvement with the CDR product and support. The big news was that Bosch announced a new auto manufacturer has signed a contract to be added to the CDR supported vehicle coverage. Due to contractual agreement issues, the new OE asked to not be named. Good news - a new OE! Bad news - we have to wait a little longer to see who it is. Wonder if Vegas has odds on who it will be??

Collision Publishing also mailed Volume 4, Issue 2 of Collision in December. Going into the fifth year of Collision Magazine we will be mailing the next issue (Volume 5, Issue 1) in May 2010. As always, if you have an article or paper you would like to submit for publishing in Collision visit this link and follow the submission guidelines.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN for the 2010 ARC-CSI Crash Conference. We are really looking forward to heading out to Las Vegas for the 9th annual ARC-CSI Crash Conference. We have begun securing vehicles to crash and our presentation line up will be impressive!

For this year's ARC-CSI Conference we are trying to cover the "want" list from the evaluations we have collected over the past couple conferences. This year we are planning (I say planning because it depends on the vehicles we are able to secure) on conducting commercial vehicle testing, motorcycle testing, low-speed testing, multiple vehicle collision (3 or more vehicles), high-speed, head-on (and maybe offset) and potentially some bus testing. All of the testing will be followed up with presentations and workshops allowing you an opportunity to work with crash data and useful information for day-to-day reconstructions.

Now through April 16th, 2010 you can save $200 off the registration fees by registering early. If you are planning on attending, be sure to take advantage of this early registration discount. Also, ARC Network member's receive an additional $50 discount to the ARC-CSI Conference. Membership in the ARC Network starts at just $79 per year - so if you take advantage of the $50 discount to ARC-CSI, your annual membership is really only $29 for the year. Plus you will receive many other benefits of being an ARC Network member.

What's New with Crash Data Group

Crash Data Group has been really busy keeping everyone current with their CDR System and also hooking up police agencies and private practice experts with a new CDR Systems.

Bosch has been very aggressive with it's commitment to put out new software updates and cables to support the new model year vehicles. In December 2009, CDR version 3.4 was released as a software release and one additional Chrysler cable was released - F00K-108-516.

FYI: the Chrysler F00K-108-516 cable is currently on sale for just $99.00 US until February 28, 2010. After which the price will increase to the MSRP of $135.00 US.

Bosch is currently working on the 3.5 release with more new cables to follow!

Bill Rose from Bosch Diagnostics opened up this year's CDR User's Summit last month in Houston and announced they have signed a new OEM for support with the Bosch CDR System. Unfortunately, the new OEM was not named but should be announced shortly. There is a misconception that Bosch is hiding who the new OEM is, but that is definitely not the case. Bosch would love to announce the new OEM; however, they simply can't due to contractual obligations. Bosch is also working with other OEM's that have a potential to be supported in the near future. Probably the most logical conclusion we can make is that the OEM's are getting serious about becoming compliant with the future Part 563 rule.

In other CDR news, we have been getting a lot of interest for CDR within the insurance industry. I am predicting 2010 will be the "year of the CDR", meaning this is going to be a break-out year for this technology and support across industries. I believe the insurance industry is going to embrace this technology and implement it within their organizations.

We have seen a gradual growth of this product from the early days of Vetronix to the current production within Bosch Diagnostics. Going forward I think we are going to see a faster growth period for this product as more cables are being released, more vehicles are being supported, faster turn-around for software support, more OEM's to be added and the introduction of a electronic-based software download subscription (hopefully later this year!). And probably most important, the attorney's expectation of this data to be a part of your reconstruction.

If you have any questions regarding CDR or would like to purchase a CDR System, please visit our web site or give us a call (800) 280-7940.