Computer modeling of road accidents: experts of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise told how this type of research helps to establish all the circumstances of accidents

In the autumn and winter period, due to deteriorating weather conditions and poor visibility, the number of road accidents on Ukrainian roads usually increases. In order to establish all the circumstances of the accident, clearly identify the culprit and the victims, appropriate examinations are appointed. 

The specialists of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise told how forensic auto-technical examination is carried out, what issues it solves, and what research methods are used to establish the causes and circumstances of accidents, and what computer modeling of an accident is in an exclusive commentary to UNN.

Forensic automotive examination is a study related to a traffic accident. Its purpose is to determine the technical condition of vehicles, the mechanism of the accident, and other issues. In general, such examinations are appointed in cases where road accidents occur and the pre-trial investigation authorities do not have a clear answer to the question of who is to blame. In total, since the beginning of 2024, the Institute has appointed and performed more than two thousand engineering and transport examinations.

The main question addressed by these examinations is whether there is a failure to comply with the requirements of the traffic rules and whether this failure is causally related to the accident. Questions are often also asked about the speed of the vehicle before the collision or at the time of contact, as well as the technical capability of the driver's version of events. For example, we determine whether the vehicle  had any malfunctions that could have caused the accident, when they occurred, whether the driver had the opportunity to detect these malfunctions before the accident, and whether he could have prevented the accident if they were present. In addition, we consider the speed of the vehicle at different moments of the accident, the distance required for safe overtaking, and the braking and stopping distance of the vehicle at a certain speed and in a particular road environment. Speed can be determined using software systems that are recommended for implementation in expert practice

According to experts, they work with information recorded at the scene. This data includes a detailed description of the accident scene, the presence and nature of braking marks, the location of the vehicles after the collision, the condition of the road surface, and other factors that could have affected the situation. If necessary, the vehicle is inspected to identify damage that may indicate the speed, direction of impact, etc. Further, the experts perform certain mathematical calculations, if necessary, computer modeling of the accident, analysis of technical documentation and analysis of the driver's actions in accordance with the technical requirements of the traffic rules. 

“Computerized accident modeling is the process of using specialized software systems to create a digital reconstruction of an accident. Modeling allows you to recreate the circumstances of the accident with high accuracy, taking into account various factors such as the speed of vehicles, their trajectories, road surface conditions, the presence of obstacles, and even weather conditions. This is one of the research methods used in conjunction with other methods to recreate the circumstances of an accident as accurately as possible and to establish causal links between the actions of the parties involved and its consequences. The expert independently decides whether to use it. As a rule, the reconstruction of the accident mechanism is carried out in every 3-4th out of 10 forensic examinations. The computer modeling process analyzes up to 20 main indicators and dozens of auxiliary indicators, if necessary,” the experts say.

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