BASIC COLLISION INVESTIGATIONCOURSE OUTLINE I. INTRODUCTION AND ORIENTATION a. Course expectation and outline II. COLLISION INVESTIGATION REPORTING PROCEDURE a. Parties Statements i. Locating and identifying the parties involved in the collision. ii. Obtaining statements regarding the collision. 1. Determine location, direction, and speed for each party. iii. Obtaining trip history for major injury and fatal collisions. b. Witness Statements i. Locating and identifying witnesses. ii. Determine the location of the witnesses. iii. Obtain location, direction, and speed for the parties Involved in the collision. iv. Identify the drivers of the vehicles. c. Determining the point of impact i. Dirt and debris on the roadway ii. Directional change of skid iii. Fluid on the roadway iv. Parties or witnesses locating the point of impact v. Auto vs. Pedestrian Collision 1. Shoe or clothing marks on the roadway 2. Eye glasses or hat on the roadway a. Show video on Auto vs. Pedestrian Collision From Texas A&M vi. Fixed objects vii. Multiple points of impact d. Scene Description i. Single Roadway ii. Intersection Collisions iii. Multiple intersection collisions 1. Working in clockwise or counter clockwise direction iv. Roadway conditions 1. Hazards 2. Construction Zones 3. Weather Conditions e. Physical Evidence i. Photographing the collision scene 1. Taking photographs from different angles and directions. 2. Using flash photography and painting with light. f. Details of the Report i. Putting the investigation together 1. A collision is a puzzle, the more pieces you have the easier it is to put it together. 2. Obtaining weather conditions for fatal and major injury collisions. 3. Including the Driving Under the Influence Investigation. g. Conclusions and Actions i. Discussion on ending the report and indicating the Primary Collision Factor. BASIC COLLISION INVESTIGATIONCOURSE OUTLINE III. ACCIDENT-RELATED TRAFFIC LAWS a. Introduction to Traffic Enforcement i. The Goal ii. Attitudes toward Traffic Enforcement iii. Importance iv. Peace Officer’s Role b. Vehicle Code Terminology i. Definitions 1. Alley 2. Crosswalk 3. Darkness 4. Freeway 5. Highway 6. Intersections 7. Limit Line 8. Roadway 9. Sidewalk 10. Street 11. Vehicle c. Vehicle Registration Violations i. VC 4000a Vehicle Registration ii. VC 4462b False Tabs/License Plates iii. VC 4454a Registration Card in Vehicle iv. VC 4457 Tabs Unreadable/Faded v. VC 4000.4a Out of State Vehicles needing CA Registration d. Drivers License Violations i. VC 125000a-d Classification ii. VC 12511 Possession of more than one valid License iii. VC 12951a, b Possession of Driver’s License iv. VC 12505c California Residency or Employment v. VC 14601.1a Suspended Drivers License vi. VC 14603 Violation of License Restrictions vii. VC 14607 Adult allowing Unlicensed Minor to drive e. Stop Violations i. VC 22450 Stop Sign Violation ii. VC 22451b Railroad Crossing gate iii. VC 22454a School Bus Stops f. Red Signal Light Violations i. VC 21453a, c, d Red Signal, Red Arrow, Red Light (Pedestrian) ii. VC 21457a Flashing Red Signal iii. VC 21800d-1 Signal Lights Out / Inoperative g. Violations of Traffic Controls and Devices i. Definitions 1. Official Traffic Control Signal 2. Official Traffic Control Device ii. VC 21461a Failure to Obey Posted Signs h. Passing Violations i. VC 21460a Double Solid Yellow Lines BASIC COLLISION INVESTIGATIONCOURSE OUTLINE ii. VC 21460.5c Two Way Left Turn Lane (200 feet) iii. VC 21650 Driving on the wrong side of the Road iv. VC 21651a Driving on, over, or across Divided Highway v. VC 21755 Unsafe Passing on the Right vi. VC 21658a Unsafe Lane Change / Straddling vii. VC 21657 Wrong Way on One Way Street i. Speed Violations i. Prima Facia Speed Limits – VC 22352a, b 1. 15 mph Speed Limit a. Blind Intersections (Uncontrolled) b. Alley ways 2. 25 mph Speed Limit a. School zone b. Business or Residential Districts ii. VC 22350 Unsafe Speed for Conditions iii. VC 22348a Excess 100 mph iv. VC 22349a Excess 65 mph v. VC 22349b Excess 55 mph vi. VC 22356b Excess 70 mph vii. VC 22400a Impeding Traffic j. Right of Way Violations (Emergency Vehicles) i. VC 21800a First Vehicle at Uncontrolled Intersection ii. VC 21801a Left or U-turn at Intersection iii. VC21802a Yielding after Stopping at Stop Sign/Flashing Signal iv. VC 21804a Entering Roadway from Public/Private Property/Alley v. VC 21806a Fail to Yield to Emergency Vehicle k. Pedestrian Violations i. VC 21950a Driver Must Yield to Pedestrian in Marked/Unmarked Crosswalk ii. VC 21951 Passing Vehicle Stopped for Pedestrian Crossing Roadway iii. VC 21954a Pedestrian Outside of Crosswalk iv. VC 21955 Jaywalking v. VC 21461.5 Pedestrian Failure to Obey Signs or Markings l. Turning Violations i. VC 22100a, b Position for Turns ii. VC 22101d Required Turns at Intersection iii. VC 22107 Unsafe Movements Left or Right iv. VC 22108 Turning without Signaling (100 feet) v. VC 22102 U - Turn in Business District vi. VC 22106 Unsafe Backing m. Vehicle Code Public Offenses i. VC 23103a Reckless Driving (m) ii. VC 23109a Speed Contest/Drag Racing (m) iii. VC 23110a Throwing Objects at a Motor Vehicle (m/f) iv. VC 23111 Throwing Lighted/Unlighted Cigarette from Vehicle n. Failure to Obey a Lawful Order from a Peace Officer i. VC 2800a Failure to Obey Traffic Officer ii. VC 2800.1, VC 2800.2, VC 2800.3 Evading a Peace Officer iii. VC 2818 Crossing Over/Driving around Cone or Flare Patterns BASIC COLLISION INVESTIGATIONCOURSE OUTLINE o. Equipment Violations i. Lighting Violations 1. VC 22450 Driving Without Lights after Darkness 2. VC 22452a Maintain Lighting Equipment in Working Order 3. VC 22400 Headlamp Out/Not Working 4. VC 24409a Failure to Dim High Beams (500 feet approaching) 5. VC 24409b Failure to Dim High Beams (300 feet Overtaking) 6. VC 24600b Tail lamps 7. VC 24601 License Plate Lamp 8. VC 24603b Break lamps 9. VC 26101 Modified Lighting Equipment ii. Exhaust Equipment 1. VC 27151 Modified Exhaust (Increase Noise) 2. VC 27153 Excessive Smoke 3. VC 27155 No Gas Cap iii. Other Required Equipment 1. VC 27600 Fenders/Mudguards 2. VC 26700a Windshield Required in Passenger Vehicle 3. VC 26709a Rearview Mirrors (Two Required) 4. VC 26710 Defective Windshield (48 hours) iv. Unsafe Vehicles 1. VC 24002a Unsafe Vehicle or Load 2. VC 24004 Unlawful Operation after Notice Given by Officer 3. VC 24008 Low Ride Vehicle 4. VC 2400.5a Vehicle to High v. Unrestrained Occupants in a Motor Vehicle 1. VC 27315d Seatbelt 2. VC 27360a Child Seat (Parent or Legal Guardian) 3. VC 27360b Child Seat (Other than Parent or Legal Guardian) 4. VC 27360.5a Seatbelt Violation (under 4, over 16) 5. VC 27360.5b Seatbelt Violation (same as above when Parent or Legal Guardian not Present) 6. VC 21712a Driver Allow Unlawful Rider 7. VC 21712b Unlawful Rider 8. VC 23116a Driver Allow Passenger in Truck Bed 9. VC 23116b Passenger in Truck Bed vi. Legal Authority to Remove Vehicles from Roadway 1. VC 22651 Peace Officer or Authorized Employee may remove Vehicles for the following reasons 2. Most Common Sections Used a. VC 22651o1 Expire Registration over Six (6) Months b. VC 22651p Unlicensed Driver (Expired) c. VC 22651h1 Person in Charge of Vehicle Arrested d. VC 14602.6 Authority for Thirty (30) Day Impound/Hold IV. Accident Investigation Procedures a. What is an accident or collision? i. An unintended event involving a vehicle or bicycle, causing damage, death, or injury which occurs on public or private property. BASIC COLLISION INVESTIGATIONCOURSE OUTLINE b. Why do we investigate collisions? i. Protect Life ii. Protect collision scene iii. Protect possible crime scene iv. Perform investigation tasks v. Complete traffic collision documentation vi. City liability c. Why do we document collisions? i. Department policy ii. State mandated (SWITRS) iii. Determine criminal or civil action 1. Negligence and Fault iv. Prevention 1. Determine problem areas 2. Formulate reports to suggest means and methods to prevent occurrences d. Discussion: i. The officers first arrival at the scene of a collision: 1. Check for injured / provide medical aid. 2. Traffic control. 3. Identify parties involved and witnesses. 4. Locate physical evidence. ii. Securing the collision scene: 1. Using cones, flares, and crime scene tape. 2. Traffic control. (equipment, personnel) 3. Identifying and marking evidence: 4. Open discussion regarding accident scenes: e. What collisions do we document? i. FATAL ii. INJURY iii. NON-INJURY iv. HIT AND RUN v. D.U.I. ARRESTS vi. CITY PROPERTY vii. GOVERNMENT VEHICLES viii. EMERGENCY VEHICLES ix. SCHOOL BUSES f. What is SWITRS i. STATE WIDE INTEGRATED TRAFFIC RECORDS SYSTEM (SWITRS) 1. The Highway Safety Act of 1966 gave rise to California’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). 2. California Highway Patrol’s (CHP), Information Management Division took the lead in developing SWITRS as a means to collect and process data elements from a collision scene. 3. SWITRS a. California Vehicle Code Section 20008 requires that all law enforcement agencies forward a copy of every traffic collision report involving injury or death. BASIC COLLISION INVESTIGATIONCOURSE OUTLINE 4. SWITRS a. The data collection tools and methods must be uniform to produce meaningful statistics. b. The Long Form Report (CHP 555) is the standard reporting tool the Bakersfield Police Department uses to report statistic to the State. 5. SWITRS a. The method and procedure for collecting and submitting the data elements of a collision are published in the Collision Investigation Manual (CIM). V. Skidmarks/Tiremarks Identification a. Skidmarks i. A mark left on the road surface, or any surface, by a wheel in a skid. The term “skidmark” includes all evidence of skidding, such as scuffing of a concrete road surface, even if no rubber is left behind.