When you retain Baker Materials Engineering to investigate and analyze a motor vehicle accident, you have acting for you the most experienced team with the widest available resources. We are the oldest and one of the largest firms in this specialized engineering field. The where we provide our expertise are quite comprehensive and include most of the aspects of the motor vehicle accident where engineering analysis can be usefully applied.
That engineer carrying out the analysis will have a wide range of resources to draw upon: an immense body of archive data (often unavailable elsewhere), plus ample computer software, and of course, our laboratory. Most of our services are provided to the insurance and legal communities. We also assist police forces in their criminal investigation with our specialized expertise. Long, cordial relationships with police forces are an inherent advantage enjoyed by BME in successfully gathering field data.
In the Field
Sound field data is the foundation of good accident reconstruction and BME emphasizes that by sending only experienced engineers into the field to gather the data. The data gathered may include:
- Examining vehicle collision damage, measuring deformation and crush, determining directions of impact, identifying matching damage artifacts between two or more involved vehicles, or artifacts of pedestrian encounters.
- Passenger compartment examination for occupant encounters, for evidence of seatbelt usage, for hair and
fiber deposits (recovered for DNA analysis).
- Mechanical system examination for defects and flaws.
- Accident site examination to identify and document case incident artifacts (and segregate these from spurious artifacts).
- Carrying out (pre-planned) vision evaluation projects to document driver avoidance opportunities, particularly for night visibility.
- Determining sliding friction coefficients for accident vehicles, for fallen motorcycles, and for thrown riders or pedestrians, using prepared dummies and special load cell instrumentation.
In the Lab
Our laboratory is a resource of great value in many aspects of vehicle accident investigation. When mechanical system failure issues arise (possibly with product liability implications), a comprehensive study of questioned components can be carried out. Lab findings are seamlessly integrated into our overall investigation of the accident.
- Analyzing paint samples for matching purposes in alleged hit and run claims.
- Determining the nature and cause of tire failures, and of suspension, brake, and steering system component failures.
- Analyzing fire-involved systems and components.
- Examining seatbelt restraint devices for defects and for evidence of usage.
- Examining and matching animal hair and tissue deposits for accident cause allegations.
- Evaluating failed heavy vehicle load-securing devices.
In the Office
This is where all our findings and gathered data are brought together and integrated into a cohesive whole.
- Developing accident scene drawings from identified site artifacts and establishing vehicle motions during incident.
- Assessing mechanical system involvement from laboratory examination results.
- Evaluating black box data.
- Using manual methods and various computer software packages to determine vehicle speeds consistent with the gathered evidence.
- Determining occupant displacement directions and magnitude for driver identification or seatbelt issues.
- Carrying out time-motion studies of vehicle convergence, for vision and avoidance issues.
The Event Data Recorder(EDR) (the "Black Box") is a resource of growing importance to accident reconstruction engineers, as increasingly comprehensive data is being recorded for a brief but vital interval before the crash. BME
is committed to be at the forefront of this rapidly changing field, contributing significantly to usage techniques. Not a game for the non-expert, as careful integration of EDR with other crash data is essential.
Boat Accidents
BME is uniquely equipped to undertake assignments requiring the analysis of vessel collisions. We have long term experience with the marine environment, both commercial and pleasure. We have extensive experience with analysis of collision dynamics: using the aggregate damage features to determine such factors as relative bearing directions and relative speed. In addition to assisting legal council and insurers on such tasks, we assist police during criminal investigations of fatal boating accidents.
