Investigating The Causes of Auto Accidents
Midwestern Consulting uses hi-tech laser scanning instruments to investigate auto accidents
It is not always sunny in Michigan!
The spring and summer rains nurture new plant growth and our state blossoms into the pleasant peninsula described in the state motto. These seasons also generate roadway crashes that seem to be related to stormwater ponding in highway ruts.
Vehicle crashes occurring during rainstorms are a growing trend, and Midwestern Consulting is frequently contacted by personal injury and defense attorneys seeking our counsel on whether hydroplaning conditions likely contributed to a loss of vehicular control. Our engineers are recognized experts in determining roadway conditions that could result in loss of control during rainstorms and the specific location where these conditions were present in relation to initial vehicle rotation and point of impact.
Important considerations include a review of Doppler Radar for the specific storm and time of the crash, the tire tread depth and pressure, and the shape of the roadway along the vehicle’s travel path.
Using high-definition 3D laser scanning equipment, Midwestern Consulting creates accurate surface models of each highway rut and calculates the probable depth of water in each rut along a section of roadway. When this information is combined with the tire and rainfall data we are able to identify the speed and location at which each vehicle tire could be susceptible to loss of surface contact. This information is used by a certified Accident Reconstructionist to verify calculations regarding the location and speed at which hydroplaning began – and to more accurately determine the velocity at the point of impact.
Hydroplaning crashes frequently result in serious injury or death. The scientific engineering approach that Midwestern Consulting takes in determining whether hydroplaning conditions were present is valuable in assisting attorneys as they pursue their cases to benefit their clients. Our experts frequently are called upon to explain the hydroplaning analysis in depositions and court testimony.
Jim Valenta, PE, is a senior transportation engineer at Midwestern Consulting, LLC. He provides expert witness services related to roadway design and traffic accidents. Contact Jim at 734.995.0200.