COLLISION INVESTIGATION
- MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS OCCUR EVERY DAY.
- THE GOAL OF THIS COURSE IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND GENERAL INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS NECESSARY TO PERFORM A THOROUGH AND CONCISE INVESTIGATION FOR EVERY COLLISION WE RESPOND TO.
- YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO EXAMINE, INTERPRET AND COLLECT EVIDENCE AT A COLLISION SCENE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE FACTORS WHICH CAUSED THE COLLISION.
- YOU WILL BE PROVIDED A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH COLLISION INVESTIGATION.
DEFINITION
A traffic collision is an event or occurrence which results in death, injury, or damage, attributable directly or indirectly to the motion of a motor vehicle or it’s load.
MOTOR VEHICLES INCLUDE:
- Passenger Motor vehicle
- Commercial Motor Vehicle
- Motorcycles
- Limited use/Off-highway Motorcycles
- Electric Scooters
- Bicycles with Electric assist
Would you be required to file an MV-104A if:
- A person intentionally strikes another person/vehicle with their vehicle?
- Yes. You would file an MV-104A, along with the appropriate Penal Law charge(s): vehicular assault/ crim. mischief.
- A hitch-hiker accidently falls from a moving vehicle and is fatally injured?
- Yes. The hitch-hiker would be considered part of the “load” and the death would be directly attributable to the motion of the motor vehicle.
Would you be required to file an MV-104A if:
- A large truck traveling in front of you kicks up a stone from the roadway and breaks your windshield?
- No. You might be able to file a claim with your insurance because you were in motion and were “struck” by the stone, but the other truck would not hold any liability.
- What if the large truck was hauling stones and one fell off and broke your windshield?
- Yes. The stone is part of the load.
- You are parked in a parking lot with your vehicle running and someone next to you opens their door and damages your vehicle?
- If the damage reaches the criteria of > $1000 of damage, then yes . If not, you will be filling out an incident report, not a MV-104A.
We don’t just report crashes, WE INVESTIGATE THEM!
An investigation is a thorough and complete examination of physical evidence, identifying the contributing factors with systematic attention to detail, resulting in a supported conclusion.
RESPONSIBILITIES ON SCENE
- Protect the scene
- Classify the collision (PDAA, PIAA, HIT & RUN, FATAL)
- Aid the injured
- Request additional emergency services
- Identify all involved
- Interview the operators
- Interview witnesses
- Gather information to complete the police report – MV104A
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Serious Personal Injury/Fatal Collisions
- Supervisory notification
- Prepare field sketch
- Photographs must be taken!
- Physical evidence must be measured/recorded
- Is it criminal?
REPORTING VS. INVESTIGATING COLLISIONS
Reporting a collision only tells:
This is a fatal collision where the Pontiac had crossed into the oncoming lane. The motorcyclist hit the brakes and left a skid mark but was ultimately struck by the vehicle.
College students from Vermont decided to travel to NY to buy more alcohol because the store quit selling alcohol at midnight in Vermont. They were traveling down a winding road and took a curve too fast.
THE BEST WAYS WE CAN PREVENT
TRAFFIC COLLISIONS ARE:
Gather the facts
Determine the causes
Enforce the laws
Report the data
TRAFFIC CONTROL
Use your discretion to:
- Maintain crowd control
- Assure safe traffic movement around the collision scene.
- Keep the scene from getting worse
