If you’re an insurance professional who is looking to preserve evidence from a crash, you might want to consider doing this (Credit: Markus Spiske) The preservation of electronic data is one of the most crucial elements in an automotive collision investigation. Having access to this data is key to drawing a strong conclusions about what led to an automotive collision. Although there are multiple electronic data recording devices, the perhaps most important one is a vehicle’s Electronic Data Recorder (EDR), often referred to as a “black box” (referring to similar devices that have been used i ..read more

Forensic engineers are often hired to investigate car fires (Credit: David Henry) The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) reports that there were an estimated 212,500 car fires in the United States in 2018 alone, and that car fires caused 4.5 times the numbers of deaths as non-residential structure fires. Moreover, the leading cause of car fires were mechanical or electrical malfunctions or failures. This is not difficult to believe as modern vehicles are much more complex and electronically dependent than vehicles of the past. In any case, whether due to mechanical or electrical malfunct ..read more

How does a forensic engineer assess the biomechanics of a crash? (Credit: Pixabay) Table of Contents How Does a Forensic Engineer Perform a Biomechanical Accident Reconstruction? Why Magnitude and Direction Matter in a Biomechanical Accident Reconstruction What Does the Analysis in a Biomechanical Accident Reconstruction Look Like? Key Takeaways A forensic biomechanical engineer can help to determine how different parts of a person’s body would respond to the forces resulting from motor vehicle accidents, recreational accidents, slips/trips/falls, or other personal injury incide ..read more

An airbag expert is typically a professional engineer who knows airbag systems inside and out (Credit: Dietmar Janssen) Modern vehicles are equipped with a plethora of safety features, and while they may vary between various manufacturers and model years, what you’ll find in every vehicle now are seatbelts and air bag systems. In order to properly explain how air bag systems work, and how airbag experts examine them, we must first discuss vehicle black boxes, also known as Event Data Recorders (EDR). What’s commonly referred to as a black box in accident reconstruction is actually the airbag ..read more

The work and responsibilities of a forensic engineer can vary greatly. (Credit: RA Eng) Table of Contents What Is Forensic Engineering? What Do Forensic Engineers Do? What Responsibilities Do Forensic Engineers Have? Key Takeaways Forensic engineering is a diverse and comprehensive field that involves the examination and analysis of both physical and electronic evidence. The work of a forensic engineer also varies greatly. Forensic investigations can range from collision reconstruction, biomechanical assessments and even product failures, where components fail or malfunction ..read more

Black ice accidents are common in the winter. Here’s why they happen (Credit: Erin McKenna) Crash reconstruction describes the process of investigating and analyzing the sequence of events surrounding a motor vehicle collision. A traditional crash reconstruction relies on detailed collision analysis which involves the application of scientific methodology to the particular crash under investigation. Table of Contents The Science of a Crash Reconstruction Roadway Surface and Coefficient of Friction What are Black Ice Accidents? How Do Winter and Summer Tires Affect Black Ice Accidents? W ..read more

Where in the car is the black box located? And does its location matter? (Credit: Jeshoots) One of the questions we get asked a lot at Kodsi Forensic Engineering is, “Where is the black box located in a car?” This blog will explore this question in greater depth. Table of Contents Where is the Black Box Location in a Car? Why Does Black Box Location Matter? Key Takeaways The black box module is generally located near the centre of the vehicle. In most vehicles it will be located somewhere within the centre console.  The car black box location allows the ACM to survive enviro ..read more

What is recommended after whiplash from a rear-end collision? (Credit: Anete Lusina) Whiplash is also known as acute whiplash associated disorder or WAD. This is a term which is given to describe a collective of symptoms including neck pain most commonly reported after a motor vehicle accident.  Table of Contents What Are the Different Categories of WAD Diagnoses? What Are Symptoms of a Whiplash Injury? What Is the Recovery Like for a Whiplash Injury? Key Takeaways Whiplash is defined as “an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy transfer to the neck”. The risk o ..read more