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Documentation and Reconstruction of Night Time Accidents

This 1 credit hour Nevada Board of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course will explain pertinent issues involved in evaluating a night time accident.  Included will be an explanation of the types of data and measurements needed and a discussion of how a reconstructionist can use this measured data to accurately recreate a night time scene for accident investigation and analysis.  Contrast and the human ability to "see" an object also will be discussed.

 

REGISTRATION AND QUESTIONS: Jsuway@brteng.com

LOCATION: Las Vegas, Nevada

DATE: February 24, 2016

TIME: 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.

INSTRUCTOR:  Mr. Jeffrey Suway, MS, P.E., ACTAR.

 

Mr. Jeffrey Suway, is a licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer and an ACTAR accredited accident reconstructionist who has been working in vehicle safety, accident reconstruction and human factors since 2008. He received his Masters of Science in Civil Engineering with a specialty in Transportation Safety from The George Washington University through the National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC), and he received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from 

Bucknell University. Mr. Suway has experience in conducting complex accident reconstructions including visibility and conspicuity analyses. These analyses can include analyzing perception-response times, typical driver and pedestrian behavior, illuminance, luminance and contrast measurements and analyses as well as measuring and quantifying the performance of retroreflective material.

 

Course material will cover three main topics: Environmental Conditions, Vehicle Conditions, and Driver Performance.

 

  • Environmental conditions to be considered

    • Time of day

      • Sun/Moon position

    • Weather

      • Fog

      • Snow

      • Rain

      • Clear

    • Roadway condition

      • Roadway material

        • Concrete

        • Asphalt

      • Water on roadway

      • Snow on roadway

      • Roadway geometry

  • Vehicle conditions to be considered

    • Performance of retroreflective tape - if present

    • Light bulb analysis

      • Hot shock vs. cold shock

    • Headlight type

    • Headlight location / elevation

  • Driver performance

    • How can a driver realistically perform

    • Average Driver performance

      • Steering rates

      • Braking rates

    • Limits of vision

      • Visibility limit and how this calculation is performed

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