Mr. Timothy Austin & Mr. David Plant

This session will cover the current availability of EDR sources in heavy motor vehicles and how this data can be useful to crash investigators.  This will include, but is not limited to, the event data recorded in ECMs (Electronic Control Modules) and ABS ECUs (Antilock Braking System Electronic Control Units).   We will discuss which engine and ABS manufactures record event data, what data is recorded and the steps that first responders should take to preserve the data.

Mr. Timothy Austin & Mr. David Plant
This breakout is a continuation of the "Introduction to HVEDR Technology" session and will provide you with an in-depth look at the current research that has been conducted with regards to HVEDR Technology.  We will discuss the accuracy, anomalies, and limitations of HVEDRs and show you how this data has been applied in the investigation of crashes.  

Corporal David A. Templeton, Jr.

In this session, we will extol the virtues and improvements of the iWitness Photogrammetry program for documenting the crash scene. From your arrival on the scene to the completed forensic diagram, you will learn the safest, quickest and most accurate methods of measuring the crash scene and damage profiles of the vehicles for your reconstruction.

Detective Andrew Rich

This session will introduce you to the use of damage analysis (aka crush) for the purpose of determining equivalent barrier speeds, delta-Vs, closing speed, and in some cases, impact speeds.  We will teach you how to obtain and/or calculate stiffness coefficients, properly measure vehicle damage per the Tumbas-Smith Damage Measurement Protocol, and employ those stiffness coefficients and damage measurements within the CRASH 3 algorithm.

Mr. John Daily

This presentation will show you techniques for determining impact speeds if delta-v is known and how a reasonable estimate may be made of the collision triangle for the vehicle. You’ll then learn how this may be applied to the second vehicle, using Newton's Third Law and collision geometry. We will present you with a case where the COLM was not appropriate, but a kinematic analysis of velocity vectors yielded reasonable results.

Mr. Rich Brown

During this session, you will learn what types of trace evidence may potentially be available at the scene including hair, paint, polymers, blood, fibers, glass, and more.  We will discuss the collection techniques for these items and give you realistic information on what crime labs may be able to do with this evidence.  We will help you understand the investment involved in this labor intensive yet necessary process that has been glamorized by television crime scene programs.

Mr. Rick Ruth

To keep you apprised of rapidly changing technology, Mr. Ruth will discuss the additional vehicles that have been added to the Bosch CDR system within the last year.  You will learn how to analyze the data from these newly covered models and manufacturers as he reviews the steps required to avoid spoiling the data.

Mr. Robert Wyman

Reconstructionists photographing nighttime, shadow and low-light scenes often end up with poor photographs that may not document the evidence properly. This presentation will feature some recommended tools, procedures and exhibits to help you document a scene, preserve evidence, and convey an accurate illustration.  In addition, we’ll also discuss convenient iPhone and iPad photography “apps” suitable for these photography tasks. 

Sergeant Ken Harmon (ret.)

In this session, you will be guided through a pedestrian fatality using five different speed determination criterions.  The EDR data will be reviewed and compared to speed estimates previously determined.  The concept of Projection Efficiency will be reviewed and we will share tips for courtroom presentation of this “missing” speed.

Mr. Phil Odom

In this session, you will learn the initial steps to be taken in a watercraft collision. We will cover topics such as how to secure and preserve the evidence, how to document the evidence and how to complete a watercraft collision report.

Dr. Charlie Klauer

In this session, Dr. Klauer will present video data from recent naturalistic driving studies and discuss the statistical analysis and results.  You will be presented with the conclusions based upon the compelling scientific evidence produced from naturalistic driving studies which will help answer the question:  how risky are distracted drivers?

Jeffrey Hickman, Ph.D.

This session will provide an overview of current research in CMV driver distraction as well as exercises on how to critically evaluate crash and near-crash scenarios using naturalistic video data.  We’ll discuss the impact of driver distraction in commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations and present the key findings.  In addition, we’ll also discuss a number of recommendations that may help address the issue of driver distraction.

Lt. Keith Rodaway (ret.)

As Global Positioning System (GPS) units become more readily available to the public, the data contained in them can be used by law enforcement to uncover specific information pertinent to many types of investigations.  This presentation will show how these units can be the unbiased witness to driving patterns or criminal activity and how to extract the data for use in your investigation.  In addition, we’ll also discuss the testing that has been conducted over the past year that addresses what information is available and how to verify its accuracy.

Mr. Terry Day

During this session, we will teach you how to develop a step-by-step procedure for the complete reconstruction of a crash.  Emphasis will given to answering questions related to speed, cause and avoidability.

Mr. Don Floyd

This session will provide you with the fundamentals of safety belt hardware, including the development of safety belts, the various design types, their components and performance claims.  You’ll learn inspection and document techniques that will help you answer questions such as whether or not the safety belt was used, if it was properly worn and if it functioned as designed in the crash.

Mr. Nathan Shigemura

This session will explore rotational mechanics and its application to traffic crashes.  We’ll contrast rotational equations with translational equations and discuss the crash situations where rotational mechanics will be the most useful.

Mr. Kevin Fuller

Mr. Fuller will cover tire basics during this session, which will include tire construction, tire size, inflation pressure, load and speed index, the DOT code, and reading a tire sidewall. With this background, you will learn how improper tire size, under inflation, overloading, tire mixing, and road hazards can effect hydroplaning, vehicle stability and tire failure.