31 Jan Motorcycle Accident Investigations
There are many similarities between car accident investigations and motorcycle accident investigations and reconstruction. The main exception is that motorcycle accident investigations require what is basically a review of the event in reverse order. The motorcycle accident investigation begins where the motorcycle or the rider came to rest after the accident and continues backwards to before the start of the accident sequence. This helps determine whether any possible actions could have been taken that might have prevented the crash.
Standard factors such as momentum and conservation of energy that are used in car accident reconstructions and motorcycle accident investigations are combined with the specifics of motorcycle dynamics, rider experience and control. This evaluation requires experienced investigators with extensive training and detailed knowledge of motorcycle dynamics and how a motorcycle reacts to rider control.
Motorcycle Accident Investigators
There are five (5) primary aspects that a licensed private investigator has to consider in conducting motorcycle accident investigations:
Perception & Reaction:
This is the time it takes for the rider to responds to a perceived hazard, estimated at 1.1 to 1.5 seconds under usual circumstances.
Avoidance – Braking/Steering:
The rider will typically engage in an avoidance technique using steering or braking using the front brake, rear brake or a combination. Physical evidence at the scene and eyewitnesses are crucial to determining the type of avoidance used.
Pre-impact Sliding:
Riders may overuse the brakes, which often results in locking up either the front or rear wheel. Locking the front wheel will cause a loss of control and a crash. Typically, in this instance the motorcycle and rider will usually separate and slide in the same direction they were moving before the crash.
Impact:
The motorcycle may collide with an object such as another vehicle or guardrail. The resulting damage is evaluated and combined with sliding distance to help determine the motorcycle’s speed.
Post-impact Motion:
In most accidents, the rider separates from the motorcycle and travels independently to the final point of rest. After impact, an analysis of the post-impact travel distance is necessary to help determine the speed of the motorcycle upon impact.
Investigating Motorcycle Accidents | Tampa
If you have been in a vehicle accident and need an expert, professional private investigator to factually prove what happened, contact Top Gun Investigations at 813-902-0420 or floridatopgun@gmail.com for a free confidential cases analysis.
Tampa Private Investigator
About the author: Mark J. Aubin is the only practicing professional, Tampa private investigator and licensed attorney in the State of Florida. He owns and operates Top Gun Investigations, a Florida based, international private investigative service.
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