This article was written by Patricia-Anne Tom. If you wish to contact the author, please email her via the Claims Journal's article link.

The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that a jury should consider a person's failure to use a seatbelt when determining damages for pain and suffering resulting from an automobile accident.

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Most people are familiar with “black box” technology in modern aircraft as a means to record information in the few minutes before a crash.  However, most individuals are not aware that this very same technology might be present under the passenger’s seat of their personal vehicle.  It is referred to as an automotive Event Data Recorder (EDR), and it has tremendous implications for any accident reconstructionist....

Have you ever had a client claim he or she attempted to steer his motorcycle in one direction; however, it went the opposite direction?  How many have claimed this occurred and it has caused them to crash?  How many times were they told that they were crazy?

Motorcycles have special operational characteristics that automobiles do not have.  They are articulated vehicles, which means they are hinged.  The majority of them have...

Automobile accident reconstruction can be simplified by following some specific practices.  Good documentation of the physical evidence leads to a thorough understanding of the vehicles' motion before and after an impact.  Poor documentation of the evidence may complicate and, in some cases, make a full reconstruction impossible.  The accuracy of a reconstruction is largely dependent on the quality and preservation of the physical evidence.

Sport utility vehicle (SUV) rollover has been the subject of news documentaries and magazines for decades. The physics involved in a large number of these rollovers, however, have not been publicly discussed.

Stable passenger vehicles will not roll over until they hit something or are tripped by an obstruction such as a curb or dirt furrow. When steered sharply, stable vehicles will slide on pavement.

The use of seat belts in passenger cars and trucks is more common and acceptable today than ever before. We are often reminded as we travel down a highway that we should "Buckle Up - It’s The Law."

Many areas of accident investigation can lead to erroneous assumptions and improper applications of engineering fundamentals. Below is an example of an accident recently reported in a local newspaper.  The basic facts of the accident are as reported; however, the names and details have been changed.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) accident data reveals that 30 percent of all heavy truck accidents are caused by brakes being out of adjustment. The most common brake system used by heavy trucks is the air brake system. It is also the most complex.