Welcome to the Accident Reconstruction Newsletter
Volume 11, Issue #98.

First off I need to apologize for the lack of newsletters the past couple months. I realize the last ARC Network Newsletter was sent in October 2008. To make up for this I would like to offer the following:

• $10 off any ARC Network  BASIC Membership - use code: BASIC 
• $20 off any ARC Network GOLD Membership - use code: GOLD
• $30 off any ARC Network PLATINUM Membership - use code: PLATINUM

To use the coupon code, simply go to the ARC Network Membership section, select the membership level you would like and click the "Sign Up Online" link. Just below the credit card information is a box to enter the coupon code. The amount will be deducted from the total amount. Coupon expires March 15, 2009.

As 2008 came to a close, we were working diligently trying to finish 2 of the new modules for the ARC Network, plan for the 2009 CDR User's Conference and fulfill orders for the new 3.1 CDR release.

I am happy to announce the 3.1 CDR update was released, shipped and now things are getting back to normal. We also just concluded the 4th CDR User's Conference which was well attended and well received. And finally, we have launched the new ARC Network Events Calendar and the ARC Network News Article database. <PHEW!>  

Important Announcement!   The address and phone numbers for the ARC Network have changed -PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RECORDS

ARC Network
PO Box 3383
Kirkland, WA 98083-3383
Phone: (800) 280-7940
Fax: (866) 966-7033

All of our old numbers have been disconnected and could not be ported-over to the new office. The old address will be forwarded to the new address for one more month after which will not be forwarded.

This newsletter will be a bit different than the past newsletters in that there isn't any attached articles. I promise to return to that format for the next newsletter. I think it is important to highlight and explain where I am trying to take the ARC Network and why it is valuable to you as a user of the ARC Network web site.

Many of you have probably noticed the new look on many of the web pages of the ARC Network. This is part of a major undertaking to revamp the entire ARC Network and make it more of a Accident Reconstruction Community web site.

Let's start with the News Article Database

For the past 10 years, my staff and I have been scouring the Internet for relevant accident reconstruction news and posting it in the News section. These were "static" articles that were only indexed by date of article. This made it very difficult to search the archives of 1000's of news articles on the ARC Network.   What we have done is reworked the news section to an online, searchable database of accident reconstruction news articles. Every single piece of information in the article is stored in a database and indexed to our search function. Now, you can search all of the ARC Network news articles by date, author, source, or "keyword".

Being able to locate the article you are looking for is just the first step. In the old system all you could do was print the entire page, complete with ARC Network headers, footers, banners, etc. Not very useful. With the new news database, there are 3 new options in addition to the search functionality.

• Print Article: you can now chose the "Print Article" link at the end of each article and your browser will launch a new window with just the article and also launch your printer function from your computer. This allows you to just print the article without all the extra graphics and text from the web site. Or you can save it as a PDF and store it locally on your computer.
• Email to Friend: you can now chose the "Email Article to Friend" link at the end of each article and our system will email the chosen article to the person's specified email address. A great way to share articles.
• Add an Article: Even though the ARC Network team will continue to add news articles as we locate them, there is now an option for you to get involved directly with what is posted on the ARC Network. If you have an article, paper, news clipping, etc. that you would like to share with the ARC Network user base, simply click the "Add an Article" link and complete the submission form. Our team will be notified that there is a new article pending review. The ARC Network will review the article and if it relates to accident reconstruction, traffic safety, engineering, etc. we will enable the article and it will be posted and indexed in the ARC Network database.

>> Go to the new News Section

Calendar of Events

The ARC Network Calendar of Events is an online resource to locate upcoming accident reconstruction classes, seminars, conferences and training sessions. It is much like the old events calendar, just much more user friendly! We have taken all the events and put them in a database and indexed the content and classifications. Before all you could do was click on a certain month and see all the upcoming events for that given month. Now, with the new and improved Calendar of Events you can be much more specific with what you are looking for. Here are the new search functions:

• Search By Date: this allows you to search for upcoming events by a certain date.
• Search By Date Range: this allows you to enter a date range to search for upcoming events. For example you can search for all upcoming events from March 1, 2009 to June 1, 2009
• Search By Company: If you know the company name hosting the event, you can select the company name and all of the current events hosted by that company will be displayed. We have also tried to make it easier for you and only the companies that have an "active" event in the database are listed in the "drop-down" menu. For example, if you want to take a CDR Certification course and want to know all the upcoming courses, simply select "Collision Safety Institute" in the company drop-down menu and all of CSI's courses will be listed.
• Search By State: this allows you to search which events are coming to a particular state.
• Search By Keyword: This is a very broad search, but effective. Simply enter a keyword and it will search the entire events database and display all events containing that keyword.
• Combination Searches: All of the above search features can be combined in any way to narrow your search results. For example, you could do a company search and a State search at the same time. This would display all of the events coming to the selected state AND hosted by the selected company.

Add Events to the Calendar for Free

Now the I have described how to search the Events Calendar, now we need to populate it with events! There is a link at the top of the Calendar page "Add your Event". You may add as many events as you wish at no charge. The event request will be emailed to the ARC Network and we will reveiew the event to make sure it is a valid event. Once it is approved, it will be posted to the Calendar and indexed in the database.

The ARC Network Calendar of Events is a great way to locate training opportunities in your area or expertise and also a great way to market your events or classes. Best of all, it is free to use.  

>> Go to the Calendar of Events

Other Sections That Have Been Updated

Other sections that have been updated include the following:

• ARC Network Bookstore
• Expert Search and Expert Directory
• Discussion Forum
• Corporate Directory
• Education Directory
• Professional Societies Directory
• Member's Only Home Page
• Web Site Design Services

Coming Soon to the ARC Network

• Research Section: We are completely revamping the Research section of the ARC Network and making it database driven. We will also add the community-touch by adding functions to upload photos, videos, articles, and links to various categories in the Research section.
• Library: We are completely revamping the Member's Only library or articles. All of the articles will be indexed into an online database and will be searchable by title, author, and keyword. There will also be a feature to add an article to the library where you can share your paper or article with members of the ARC Network.
• Multimedia Section: This totally new section will allow you to share photos and videos with other people on the ARC Network. Think of it like a YouTube for the ARC Network. It will also let you create a custom "album" where you can upload photos, graphics or videos. For example, if you worked a really interesting case and you are able to share information about it, you can create an album, name it whatever you wish and upload photos, reports and video into that album.

I hope you now have a better understanding of my "big picture" for the ARC Network. My goal has always been to make the ARC Network the best research and communications web site for the industry of Accident Reconstruction. My hope is that the new additions to the web site will make it easier for you to locate the information you need and share information with colleagues.

Thank you again for supporting the ARC Network!

Scott Baker
President
ARC Network

2009 ARC-CSI Crash Conference
June 1-4, 2009
Las Vegas, NV
ACTAR CEUs Available

Now accepting early registrations
Click Here


Join us in Las Vegas, NV for the 8th Annual ARC-CSI Crash Conference. This conference will include multiple full scale crash tests conducted at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and 3-days of presentations from leading experts from around the world. In addition to the live crash testing and presentations, this conference will also conduct workshops giving you hands-on training to real-world incidents.

Crash Testing

Every year, the ARC-CSI Conference sets the bar for crash research and training and offers attendees full scale, practical, fully documented crash tests using state-of-the art equipment. The volume of testing has varied from as few as 4 to as many as 9 tests all conducted in the space of just a few hours at the world famous Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Unlike other conferences, at the ARC-CSI conference, you're not only allowed but encouraged to bring video and still cameras and will be given ample opportunity to take photos and video of the crashes and vehicles before and after the testing series.

Moreover, at the end of the week, everyone in attendance will receive a DVD with conference proceedings as well as literally hundreds of high resolution photos of the testing vehicles, crash "scenes," video of the crashes from multiple angles and in multiple formats and the underlying real crash data collected from accelerometer data to vehicle and roadway evidence maps.

Crash testing for the conference will be conducted by Collision Safety Institute, proven leaders in the field of crash testing. Collision Safety Institute has conducted more than 200 crash tests over the years and have set the standard in conference crash test conduct together with data collection and distribution.

Click here for more information and registration

Collision Magazine: Volume 4, Issue 1

The next issue of Collision Magazine is currenlty in production and should be shipping June 2009.

Collision Publishing is pleased to offer a print and digital publication dedicated to providing timely and current crash research and information. This is the first publication of its kind, featuring conference proceedings, articles of interest, crash test data, industry news and research. Included with every issue is a bonus CD/DVD containing all conference proceedings in electronic PDF format and supporting data.

- Spring Issue Bonus CD: Conference proceedings from the Crash Data Retrieval Users Conference.

- Fall Issue Bonus DVD: Conference proceedings, video, digital pictures, and supporting data from the ARC-CSI Crash Conference.

>> www.collisionpublishing.com

NOTE: Join NAPARS (our premier Industry Partner) and receive a complimentary subscription to Collision Magazine! A NAPARS membership is only $115 per year and includes the annual subscription to Collision. That's one offer you can't pass...

Submit an Article

If you have an article or information you would like to include in the Accident Reconstruction Newsletter, please email it to us at:

arc@accidentreconstruction.com

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