Symposium on Traffic Safety May 17-20, 2027

Crash Reconstruction Techniques

• The ADAS Witness (Dave Sersen)

  - Dave Sersen, New York State Police

  As advanced driver assistance systems become more common, investigators must understand their impact on driver accountability. Explore the role of ADAS technologies in collision investigations and examine the challenges associated with evaluating driver actions, system performance, and responsibility in technology-assisted driving environments.

• Air Brakes, Drum to Disc, and Issues with Disc Brakes (Walter Dobson)

  - Walter Dobson, IPTM

  Review the operation of modern air brake systems and examine recent technological changes affecting commercial vehicle braking performance. You'll explore drum and disc brake systems, common disc brake concerns, and effective methods for collecting brake data. Gain a stronger understanding of the components and calculations used in commercial vehicle crash investigations.

• Back to Basics: A Momentum Review and Solving with CAD Diagramming (Mike Flamm)

  - Mike Flamm, Delta V. Innovations

  Refresh your understanding of fundamental momentum principles and learn how CAD technology can simplify complex calculations. This session reviews required variables, calculation methods, and practical applications while demonstrating how diagramming tools can improve analysis, presentation preparation, and courtroom testimony. No prior CAD experience is required.

• Beyond Drag Factor: How Drivers Actually Brake Before Crashes and Near Crashes (Jeff Muttart)

  - Jeff Muttart, Driver Research Institute

  Explore real-world driver braking behavior using data from more than 3,500 crashes and near-crashes. You'll examine brake application patterns, deceleration rates, emergency responses, and avoidability considerations. Learn the important distinction between what a vehicle could do based on available friction and what drivers actually do in critical situations.

• Cable Guide Rail Implementation and Kinetic Energy Analysis (Timothy Cutshaw)

  - Timothy Cutshaw, Technical Collision Solutions / Pennsylvania State Police

  Examine the performance of TL-4 high-tension cable barrier systems through crash-testing data, real-world case studies, and kinetic energy analysis. Learn how these systems have reduced the severity of median crossover crashes and gain a deeper understanding of the engineering principles and collision dynamics that influence barrier effectiveness.

• Case Study: Homicide by Vehicle and Inter-Agency Operability From Call Out to Sentencing (Landon Call)

  - Detective Landon Call, Teton County Sheriff's Office

  Follow a fatal vehicle-versus-bicyclist investigation from the initial call through sentencing. Learn how investigators combined physical evidence, digital evidence, and effective interagency collaboration to establish the facts and support a successful homicide prosecution. This real-world case study highlights investigative decision-making, evidence correlation, and the importance of a coordinated multidisciplinary approach.

• How Traffic Signal Timing Can Assist Your Reconstruction (Daniel W. Vomhof III)

  - Daniel W. Vomhof III, Expert Witness Services, Inc.

  Learn how traffic signal timing records can support crash analysis and reconstruction. This session explains key signal timing elements, where to locate them within agency records, and how those records can be used to evaluate right-of-way issues and strengthen investigative conclusions through real-world case examples.

• Motorcycle Sounds Related to Vehicle Speed and Braking (Andre Doria)

  - Andre Doria, Compass Kinetics Inc.

  Discover how sound analysis can be used to estimate motorcycle speed and braking behavior. Using data collected from instrumented motorcycles, this session examines frequency analysis, Doppler-shift calculations, braking signatures, and exhaust harmonics. You'll gain insight into emerging forensic techniques that can help investigators analyze audio evidence in crash reconstruction cases.

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• Physical Evidence: Necessary for a Reconstruction Even with Electronic Evidence (John Daily)

  - John Daily, Jackson Hole Scientific Investigations, Inc.

  Electronic evidence can be a valuable investigative tool, but it should never replace a thorough physical examination of the crash scene and vehicles. This session demonstrates why collecting and documenting physical evidence remains essential for accurate reconstruction. Learn how to identify data limitations and use physics-based analysis to validate electronic findings.

• Vehicle System Forensics – When Cars Talk (Wesley Vandiver)

  - Wesley Vandiver, Berla Corporation

  Modern vehicles contain a wealth of investigative information beyond traditional crash data. Learn how vehicle systems can reveal historical locations, vehicle events, connected-device interactions, and other valuable evidence. This session also covers acquisition methods, emerging technologies, and recent developments affecting digital vehicle forensics.

• Was the Low Speed Crash an Accident? Did the Low Speed Crash Cause Injury? (John Bethea)

  - John Bethea, J D Bethea Consultancy, Inc.

  Learn how to evaluate low-speed collisions using two critical analytical approaches. You'll examine whether the physical evidence supports the reported sequence of events and determine whether the forces involved were sufficient to cause injury. Through real-world case studies and audience participation, you'll gain practical techniques for assessing crash dynamics, interpreting damage patterns, and developing defensible conclusions.

• What Does Speed and Load Have to Do with Tires? (T.J. Tennant)

  - T.J. Tennant, Tennant, Winkelman and Associates

  Gain a better understanding of tire speed ratings, load capacities, and their significance in vehicle performance and crash investigations. This session explains how tire ratings are established, explores important exceptions, and examines the factors investigators should consider when evaluating tire-related evidence and operating conditions.

Crash Scene Documentation

• Collision Investigation OJT: What We Have We Learned Outside the Classroom (Greg Sullenberger)
  • Greg Sullenberger, Vector Collision Analysis

  Gain practical insights learned through real-world investigations, vehicle examinations, and years of field experience. This session focuses on investigative techniques, best practices, and lessons that go beyond traditional classroom instruction. You'll learn valuable strategies, avoid common pitfalls, and benefit from the experience of seasoned investigators to enhance your effectiveness and confidence in the field.

   

• Fatal Crash Forensic Photography Protocol: A Systematic Methodology from Approach to Final Rest (Mark DiCocco)

  - Mark DiCocco, University of New Haven

  Develop a systematic approach to documenting fatal crash scenes through forensic photography. You'll learn what photographs to capture, when to capture them, and how to create a complete visual record of the collision sequence. Topics include approach paths, roadway evidence, vehicle damage, occupant compartments, and final rest documentation.

EDR

• Compare and Contrast EDR Data vs. Collision CrashScan Data (Billy Cox Jr.)

  - Billy Cox, Billy Cox Group

  As vehicle data technologies continue to evolve, investigators must understand the strengths and limitations of available tools. Compare information obtained from Bosch CDR, Hyundai/Kia systems, and CrashScan technology while exploring practical applications for crash reconstruction. You'll gain insight into key similarities, differences, and emerging capabilities that can strengthen your investigative findings.

• Damaged ACM/EDR to Recovered Data: Real-World Case Studies in Recovering Crash Data from Destroyed Modules (Jason Zeitler)

  - Jason Zeitler, Crash Pulse Technologies

  Discover how chip-level forensic techniques can recover valuable crash data from burned, crushed, or water-damaged ACM and EDR modules. Through real-world case studies, you'll explore the recovery process from scene investigation to data extraction while gaining insight into advanced forensic methods that can preserve critical evidence.

• EDR Update (Weston Brown)

  - Weston Brown, Weston Forensic Collision Investigations

  Stay current on the latest developments in Event Data Recorder technology and crash data retrieval. This session reviews recent changes in vehicle coverage, manufacturer support, regulatory considerations, and emerging technologies affecting crash reconstruction. You'll also gain valuable insight into the continued evolution of CDR2 and what these developments mean for today's investigators and reconstructionists.

Human Factors

• Child Passenger Safety Systems (Cameron Trepeck)

  - Cameron Trepeck, PhD, PE, Quality Forensic Engineering, LLC

  Examine child occupant protection systems and learn how installation practices, crash orientation, and occupant kinematics influence injury outcomes. Through case studies, crash testing, and scientific research, you'll gain valuable insight into documenting evidence and evaluating child passenger safety in collision investigations.

• Crash Case Development: Interview Techniques, Case Preparations, and Courtroom Testimony (Mike Catalano)

  - Mike Catalano

  Effective crash investigations require more than technical expertise. Learn practical strategies for conducting professional interviews, organizing investigative findings, preparing comprehensive case files, and delivering effective courtroom testimony. You'll gain valuable insight into building a strong case from the earliest stages of the investigation through successful presentation before judges and juries.

• Distracted, Dazed, Drunk: Human Factors in Reconstruction (Swaroop Dinaker)

  - Swaroop Dinaker, Driver Research Institute

  Explore a human-factors approach to evaluating distraction, fatigue, and impairment in crash reconstruction. Rather than assuming these factors contributed to a collision, you'll learn how comparative analysis can be used to evaluate driver responses against expected behavior. Real-world examples demonstrate how this methodology can support objective and defensible conclusions.

• From Crash Scene to Witness Stand (Are You Prepared?) (Jessica McAvoy)

  - Jessica McAvoy, Pinal County Attorney's Office

  Strong investigations require strong communication. This session explores how investigative decisions, reports, narratives, and exhibits influence jury understanding of crash cases. Learn practical techniques for presenting complex information clearly and effectively while improving your ability to communicate findings with confidence in a courtroom setting.

• Human Response to Crash Investigations (Brian Niec)

  - Brian Niec, Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (IN)

  Crash investigators are routinely exposed to traumatic scenes and challenging emotional demands. This session examines the cumulative effects of stress and trauma throughout a law enforcement career and provides practical strategies for maintaining resilience, improving wellness, and sustaining long-term effectiveness in the profession.

• Nighttime Recognition: Using It for a Time/Distance Analysis (Tim Maloney)

  - Tim Maloney, Driver Research Institute

  Learn how nighttime recognition research can be applied to time-distance analysis and collision reconstruction. Using the CLAPS model of Contrast, Lighting, Anticipation, Pattern, and Size, you'll explore factors that influence object recognition and how those factors can be incorporated into accurate investigative analyses.

• Nighttime Visibility Analysis: Methods and Procedures from the Scene to the Courtroom (Daniel Billington)

  - Daniel Billington, Green Lakes Forensic Experts

  Explore the complete process of conducting nighttime visibility investigations, from scene documentation and data collection to analysis, reporting, and testimony. You'll learn how to evaluate visibility conditions, address common investigative challenges, and develop findings that support accurate crash reconstruction. Gain practical insight into presenting nighttime visibility analyses in a clear and defensible manner.

Crash Testing

• Instrumented Crash Testing

  Off-site crash testing will take place on Monday afternoon. Details to follow.

• Post-Crash Data Analysis and Review

  Our team of reconstructionists will present an in-depth analysis of the crash tests conducted on Monday afternoon in two identical sessions on Thursday.