At-Scene Traffic Crash Investigation

ALERT! A scientific calculator will be provided.

Dress Code: Attendees are required to dress comfortably for this course. BDU style pants with agency logo knit shirts are suggested. If the attendees' agency requires certain dress code for training classes, it will be the responsibility of the attendee to adhere to that agency policy.

This course is designed to take a law enforcement officer who investigates traffic crashes far beyond the report writing taught in basic traffic crash investigation courses.

Attendees will learn the proper procedures for measuring, scale diagramming and photographing in order to identify and record physical evidence and essential facts available only at the crash scene. In addition, participants will learn to apply basic principles of physics and mathematical equations to determine the drag factor of a surface and to estimate vehicle speed from skidmarks and scuffmarks. Controlled experiments with skidding vehicles will be utilized to reinforce the understanding of the technical concepts employed in traffic crash investigations. Finally, attendees will be presented with techniques for preserving evidence, interviewing drivers and witnesses and preparing the case.

Upon successful completion of this course, attendees will have developed the competence to conduct in-depth at-scene traffic crash and traffic homicide investigations.

Topics include:

• Physical evidence from the traffic way
• Physical evidence from the vehicle
• Preservation of physical evidence
• Interviewing drivers and witnesses
• Estimating vehicle speeds
• Use of traffic templates
• Scale diagramming
• Analysis of information and case preparation