How Vehicle Collisions Are Investigated

When two vehicles collide, the incident cannot be treated as if nothing happened, especially where there is serious damage or injury. A forensic collision investigator can review what happened and help establish the facts.

What Does a Forensic Collision Investigator Do?

A forensic collision investigator is a specialist who investigates road traffic accidents. Using technical evidence and an understanding of vehicles, they can reconstruct the event.

They do this by collecting evidence from the scene, including scene images, accounts from witnesses, vehicle parts and damage to surrounding property.

How the Investigation Works

The first stage is usually a detailed scene assessment. They take photographs from several angles, as the area will often need to be cleaned and made safe soon afterwards.

They may then take witness statements from people involved in the incident or those who observed it. Physical evidence is also collected, such as vehicle fragments, tyre marks, damaged barriers and impact points.

Where needed, investigators may also use biological evidence to help confirm who was inside a vehicle at the time of the crash.

The evidence can then be used to create a technical reconstruction of the crash. This may be produced using computer software to check whether reported events are physically possible. For example, if someone gives an account that does not match the tyre marks, vehicle damage or final resting positions, the reconstruction may help show that inconsistency.

Once the investigation is complete, the findings are set out in a report. This explains what happened, how it happened and what evidence supports those findings.

Why Collision Investigation Matters

If you are involved in a collision, you may need evidence for your insurer. A forensic collision report can help show how the incident occurred and provide the key details needed to support a claim.

It may also be useful in court. If there has been damage to another vehicle, injury or damage to public property, a forensic collision investigator can provide evidence and explain their findings before a judge or jury.

An investigation can also identify factors outside the driver’s control, such as poor road markings, faulty street lighting or road defects. When these issues are found, they may need to be addressed to help improve road safety.

Key Takeaway

Forensic collision investigators help explain the facts behind a road traffic collision. Their work can support insurance claims, legal proceedings and road safety improvements.

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