spoon059 wrote:
Dutch_12078 wrote:
How is speed determined in the absence of skid marks?
I have some advanced collision investigation training, but I am certainly not a crash reconstructionist.
Skid marks can only advise a speed range, and is most accurate when the skid brings a vehicle to a stop. If the vehicle skids into a curb, another vehicle, a building or simply stops skidding then its very hard to nail down a specific speed.
The computers in cars have a LOT of information. They can tell if you were braking, had lights on, were accelerating, etc. The most accurate measure of speed is based upon what the computer claims your speed was. Skid marks, vehicle crush data, etc are all used to corroborate the information on the computer.
Thanks, Mike. I was thinking of all the newer vehicles with ABS braking that pretty much eliminate brake related skid marks. Side slides, spins, etc, could still provide valuable information of course.
