February 2006 - Accident Reconstruction Newsletter

Welcome to the February 2006 edition of the Accident Reconstruction Newsletter.

This past month the ARC Network has been busy with all the pre-planning for this year's ARC-CSI Crash Conference. This years conference is building to be our biggest and best conference yet. Before I get into the details, it is highly recommended if you are planning on attending this conference to register early! Not only will you save $200 by registering early, but our last conference sold out before early registration ended and, unfortunately, we had to turn people away.

The 2006 ARC-CSI Crash Conference will be held for the fourth year in Las Vegas and will again include full scale crash tests to be held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 2006 Conference is designed to be topical, timely and a lasting learning experience for all involved this year as it has been in the past. The conference is approved for 21 ACTAR CEUs and an ACTAR examination will be offered the day before the conference (June 4, 2006) at the Palace Station Hotel.

We will be kicking off the 2006 Conference with a series of full scale crash tests (we are currenlty looking at [not yet confirmed] motorcycle-to-car, car-to-car, car-to-car-to-secondary impact, curb strike, and occupant motion in motorhomes with evasive maneuvers) with all of the crash data, photos and video compiled during that week's testing being distributed on CD coupled with a data review presented at the conclusion of the conference.

There is no other Conference like it! Where else can you witness fully documented, live, full scale crash testing and other pertinent demonstrations first hand, attend presentations by recognized leaders in their field, and then leave with all the crash data, photos and video of the testing, copies of presentations for later review, related documents and reference material in hand, right then, not months later? For complete information on the 2006 ARC-CSI Crash Conference, please visit www.crashconferences.com.

Members of the ARC Network receive a $50 discount off the 2006 ARC-CSI Crash Conference registration price. To take advantage of this discount, simply sign up to become a member of the ARC Network before registering for the conference. Simply sign up securely and conveniently online at: www.accidentreconstruction.com/members/index.asp

Now you can join the ARC Network directly online through our secure merchant server. In addition, as soon as you join, you immediately have access to the member's only section of the ARC Network and if you choose to be listed in the ARC Network Expert Directory, you can create your listing directly online and it will be ready to view in real time. Now there is no need to download and print forms and wait for your membership. Everything is automated. Once you are a member, you can update and view all the details of your account and even renew and/or upgrade your account at any time. Learn more about membership.

Thank you for making the ARC Network the number one web site for accident reconstruction and traffic investigation.

Sincerely,

Scott Baker
President
The ARC Network

• Crash Scene Mapping Solutions for Quick Clearance during Inclement Weather
• Creating the Scene: The James Dean Reconstruction - Part 2 of 3
• Accident Investigator - TV Series
• States With Primary Enforcement Laws Have Lower Fatality Rates
• NEW: 2006 Legislative Fact Sheets
• Re-Use of Child Restraint Systems: In School Buses After Minor Crashes
• ARC-CSI Crash Conference 2006
• Free Crash Data Retrieval Certification Course
• ARC Network New Members
• Events, Conferences and Seminars
• Accident Reconstruction News Articles
• Become a Member of the ARC Network

CDR User's Conference CD

The 2006 Crash Data Retrieval Conference held in Irving, Texas in February was a comprehensive event addressing many aspects of crash data from a variety of perspectives. Well known presenters offered insight into crash data and using the Crash Data Retrieval System through peer reviewed papers, data compendium and presentations.

Legal issues, legislation, user applications, and current and future developments and applications were all covered at this inaugural conference.

If you missed the 2006 Crash Data Retrieval User's Conference, you may now purchase the conference CD online. This conference CD contains:

• Full text conference papers
• Accompanying spreadsheets and data
• Conference speaker PowerPoint presentations (list below)
• Privacy and legal issues panel discussion information

Only $35
plus $3 S&H

Online via PayPal

or call (866) 223-4984 to place your order by phone.

Crash Scene Mapping Solutions for Quick Clearance during Inclement Weather

Inclement weather conditions often make it difficult for the police officer when measuring evidence at a fatality crash scene. It is common for numerous crash events to occur over a short period of time when bad weather contributes to vehicular crashes. The police officer’s time on scene to gather critical evidence for diagramming a crash can be time consuming when traditional mapping tools are employed. The required mapping task is exacerbated by the demand that the officer move on to the next emergency service call as quickly as possible.

Sergeant Don Schmalzbauer, Supervisor and Training Coordinator of the Minnesota State Patrol’s (MnSP) Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) began looking into alternative mapping solutions in 2000 to improve and reduce clearance time after traffic incidents occur on Minnesota highways. One method Sgt. Schmalzbauer realized for quick-clearance while maintaining accurate scene diagramming is the use of a technology called close-range photogrammetry. Photogrammetry is the process of recording 2D information on multiple analog pictures or digital camera images. The “camera acquired” 2D information is bundled through special software calculations that solve for the camera’s orientation and performs a triangulation process to compute 3D coordinates from 2D images. Today’s powerful photogrammetry software systems semi automatically or fully automatically solve for 3D data extracted from pictures. After years of following improvements in close-range photogrammetry software, in 2004, Sergeant Schmalzbauer began investigation and free trial use of a photogrammetry system designed specifically for accident reconstruction called iWitnessTM. Due to his positive trial results achieved in 2004, the Minnesota State Patrol adopted iWitness statewide in their MAIT operations in fall of 2005, with software training provided by the vendor.

Read the Full Article
>> More Information

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Creating the Scene: The James Dean Reconstruction - Part 2 of 3

Creating a diagram of the roadway was challenging because of the crudeness of the original diagram (hand drawn; not to scale) and lack of measurements in any type of standard format (baseline or triangulation). Therefore, we measured the scene geometry using a Nikon total station, and removed the recent improvements of the traffic island and turn bay, leaving the original shape of the intersection. To that basic geometry, we inserted the top down rectified photo of the scene.

The challenge was to find the correct position on the scene to place the photograph. The correct position was found by using many references in the old photographs that were, to-date unchanged, and moving the transformed photograph until all references were in agreement.

Read Full Article

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Accident Investigator - TV Series

CMJ Productions is in the pre-production phase of the second season of the popular program, Accident Investigator that airs on the Discovery Health Channel US.

The series showcases the work of traffic collision reconstructionists through reenactments, interviews with the investigators, doctors, ME's and EMS members of actual cases. These stories are based on the real cases.

The series is hosted by Rusty Haight who helps translate some of the work and lingo into viewer friendly terms and further demonstrates his points by crashing a few cars for us!

Each case that we profile must have the following criteria:

An element of Mystery - this is TV therefore there must be a reason for the viewer to stay tuned - no matter how spectacular the crash if it is simply a clear cut case of speeding or drink driving there is no investigation per se - no reveal. We're looking for cases that threw in a few red herrings or had the investigator thinking, "Well, how in the world did that happen."

Medical aspect - because this show airs on the Discovery Health Channel, there must be room for medical/health/psych elements - perhaps the ME report was critical to the investigation, maybe the injuries sustained didn't match up to the version of events given by drivers,
how does emotion play into our driving capabilities etc. Maybe DNA
was used to put a driver behind the wheel - we must be able to inject these elements into the story somewhere.

Great investigative technique - although not crucial to the show it is always great to have a "one off." Maybe experts from outside the field were needed to assist on the investigation - new technology, interesting forensic work etc.

And last but certainly not least - this is TV - it must be entertaining and interesting!!!

If you are interested in contributing or have any suggestions for this show, please contact
Meredith Fowke: (514) 842-9477
Email: mfowke@sympatico.ca

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States With Primary Enforcement Laws Have Lower Fatality Rates

This Research Note compares the percentage of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities and fatality rates between States that have primary safety belt use laws and States that do not have them for the most recent years, 2000–2004. Besides having a smaller percentage of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities that were unrestrained, the fatality rates in primary enforcement States were much lower than for all other States. In primary enforcement States the passenger vehicle occupant fatality rates were 1.03 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and 10.69 per 100,000 population. This compares to 1.21 and 13.13 (respectively) for all other States.

Read Full Article

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NEW: 2006 Legislative Fact Sheets

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration makes a number of Traffic Safety Fact Sheets available to the public. Below are several of our Fact Sheets in Adobe .PDF format. These can be downloaded to your computer or printed:

• High-BAC Laws
• Bicycle Helmet Use Laws
• Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws
• Strengthening Child Passenger Safety Laws
• Administrative License Revocation
• Strengthening Safety Belt Use Laws
• Alcohol Exclusion Laws
• Vehicle and License Plate Sanctions
• Blood Alcohol Concentration Test Refusal Laws
• Open Container Laws
• Repeat Intoxicated Driver Laws
• Sobriety Checkpoints
• Graduated Driver Licensing System

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Re-Use of Child Restraint Systems: In School Buses After Minor Crashes

NHTSA recommends that child restraint systems (CRSs) be replaced following a moderate or severe crash in order to ensure a continued high level of crash protection for child passengers.

NHTSA recommends that CRSs on school buses do not automatically need to be replaced following a minor crash.

Minor crashes are those that meet ALL of the following criteria:

• The school bus was able to be driven away from the crash site;
• The occupant space inside the school bus near the CRSs was undamaged;
• There were no injuries to any children in CRSs, or serious injury to any other school bus occupant;
  The air bags (if present) did not deploy; AND
• There is no visible damage to the CRSs

Clarifying the need for child seat replacement will reduce the number of children unnecessarily riding without a CRS while a replacement seat is being acquired, and the number of children who will have to ride without a child seat if a seat were discarded and not replaced.

The clarification will also reduce the financial burden of unnecessary replacement.

Background

Recent studies demonstrate that child safety seats can withstand minor crash impacts without any documented degradation in subsequent performance.

• The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) subjected nine new and used child seats restraining 3-year-old-child dummies to a series of 50 consecutive 15 km/h sled tests into a 40 percent offset barrier. Three seats were inspected visually; no damage was apparent as a result of the impacts. Three seats underwent x-ray inspection; no damage was detected. Three seats were tested in accordance with Canadian Federal standards (CMVSS 213) and were found to be in compliance with all standards.
• ICBC performed four vehicle crash tests at 48 and 64 km/h, with two child seats restraining 3-year-old- child dummies in each vehicle. Each seat was subjected to multiple impacts and visually inspected.
  Defects were noted and the seats were re-tested. Seats always performed as well in subsequent tests as they did in the first test.
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) performed 30-mph vehicle crash tests with dummies from six-month-old-child to three-year-old-child types in a variety of child restraint systems (CRSs). Most seats sustained minor damage (e.g., frayed webbing, small cracks in the hard plastic shell, strain-whitening on the plastic shell or chest clip) but all dummies remained well secured by the restraints. Four of the damaged seats were subjected to three additional 30-mph crash tests. Although additional minor damage was observed in subsequent tests, the seats met all Federal standards.
• The agency searched for, but was unable to find, any cases in which a child safety seats were damaged in a minor crash (as defined in NHTSA Position).

Note:
The agency is committed to maintaining policies that are science-based and data-driven. Stakeholders with data that address post-crash re-use of child safety seats are encouraged to provide this information to the agency.

Download PDF

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ARC-CSI Crash Conference 2006

Date: June 5-8, 2006
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Hotel: Palace Station Hotel and Casino
Crash Testing: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
ACTAR: 21 CEUs Pending
ATTENDEE: Registration Form
EXHIBITOR: Registration Form

2006 ARC-CSI Web Site

Confirmed Topics / Speakers

A Look at Deceleration Rates for Modern Vehicles - Timothy Reust
Motorcycles - Gary Lewis
Simulation 101: How It Actually Works - Terry Day
Momentum Analysis and Secondary Contacts - C.R. Lewis
Lower Extremity Injuries - Donald Anderson
Vehicle Dynamics at Curb Strike - Dan Voss
Using Pictometry in Collision Scene Diagramming - Jon Northrup
Untripped Rollovers - Mickey Gilbert
Publishing - Robert Stearns

Pending Topics / Speakers

Identification of Unusual Tire Marks - David Dye
CDR Legal Issues: Criminal - Bill Melkonian
CDR Legal Issues: Civil - Tom Luneau
More to be confirmed and added later...

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
The ARC Network is now accepting attendee registrations for this years ARC-CSI Crash Conference.
Registration Fee:
>> Early Registration (until April 30, 2006): $599
>> Late Registration (After April 30, 2006): $799

HOTEL INFORMATION
This years ARC-CSI Crash Conference will be held at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino. The ARC Network has arranged a special room rate for attendees of this conference. For complete hotel information and to book your room, click here.

EXHIBITOR & SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Let your product or service share the spotlight at the ARC-CSI Crash Conference. Each year the ARC Network offers an Exhibitor room for companies to display their products and/or services to the attendees of the ARC-CSI Crash Conference. We also offer opportunities to gain further recognition at the conference by being a sponsor. If you would like to be a Exhibitor or Sponsor at this years ARC-CSI Crash Conference, click here.

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Free CSI Crash Data Retrieval Certification Course
Special Offer by the ARC Network

The Vetronix Crash Data Retrieval System has fast become an indispensable part of a complete crash reconstruction program. Police agencies, private reconstructionists, government agencies and other safety researchers have fast come to the realization that data stored in the air bag control module and accessible using the Vetronix Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) System is an invaluable part of a complete and thorough crash reconstruction. Whether for trial, research, or any other crash related safety program, the Crash Data Retrieval System has become an integral tool in the effort to move roadway safety efforts forward.

Purchase a CDR System through the ARC Network and choose between:

• FREE tuition to the CDR Technician and Analyst Certification course ($450 value) offered by Collision Safety Institute plus a free one-year membership to the ARC Network

  OR (if you choose or have already taken the certification course)

• A $200 Cash rebate and a free one-year membership to the ARC Network.

>> Click here for the Details
or call the ARC Network toll free (866) 223-4984

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ARC Network New Members

Please welcome the newest members of the ARC Network.

If you would like to become a member and support the Accident Reconstruction Network, please visit the Membership Section and sign up directly online through our secure server.

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Events, Conferences & Seminars

The ARC Network host a comprehensive calendar of events relating to the accident reconstruction and traffic accident investigation industry. New events are always being added. Some of the events that have just been added:

• ARC-CSI Crash Conference - June 5-8, 2006; Las Vegas, NV

View the entire Events Calendar

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Accident Reconstruction News Articles

The ARC Network continually posts news articles relating to accident reconstruction, traffic accident investigation and automotive safety. The newest articles are always posted on the ARC Network's homepage and all the archived articles are posted in the AR News Section.

Following are the news articles posted in February 2006:

February 24, 2006:
Nissan recalls 475,400 Primeras, X-Trails globally

February 23, 2006:
National Child Passenger Safety Experts Call on Minnesota Legislators to Pass an Enhanced Child Restraint Law

February 16, 2006:
Men and Women Differ in Opinion When It Comes to Driving Abilities But Share Views on Bad Weather Driving According to Chrysler Group Survey

February 15, 2006:
Enforcement of Pedestrian Protection Legislation to Drive Demand for Pedestrian Safety Systems

February 15, 2006:
Keeping Kids in Booster Seats Longer Reduces Crash Injury

February 14, 2006:
'Tween' Traffic Safety Research Yields New Safety Tips

February 13, 2006:
Ford recalling 211,432 trucks to fix warning lights

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Each month the ARC Network continues to grow with new memberships and contacts.
We now have over 600 members and going strong. We would like to thank everyone for their support.

The ARC Network would like to thank everyone for continuing to make the
ARC Network the number one web site for accident reconstruction and traffic investigation.

Please direct any questions regarding this issue of the Accident Reconstruction Newsletter to
the ARC Network

© 2006 ARC Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
Any comments, questions or suggestions should be e-mailed to the ARC Network.

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