Western Mindanao State University

College of Criminal Justice Education

Normal Road, Baliwasan,
Zamboanga City

ASSIGNMENT IN TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Submitted by: OCEÑA, MARGARITO JR. O. (3-DELTA)
Submitted to: PROF. EFFRENDY ESTIPONA

1. What is traffic accident investigation?

TRAFFIC
 Movement of persons, goods and vehicle, either powered by animals or animal
drawn vehicles or by combustion system from one place to another for the
purpose of safe travel.
 It refers to the movement of traffic units in a traffic way.
Accident investigation is a process of systematic collection and analysis of
information relating to a accident that led to the loss of property, time or health of
individuals, or even the loss of lives. An investigation is conducted to identify the root
cause of an accident in an effort to make recommendations or take corrective actions to
prevent the future occurrence of the same or a similar event.

Accidents are investigated by on-scene supervisors and professional safety

professionals with experience in the related field. In some organizations, there are
dedicated accident investigators and well equipped teams to handle the aftermath of
accidents. These employees have sufficient training and experience to investigate into
an accident. Some organizations also use special templates for reporting accidents that
contain root causes and also recommendations.

Accident reports are generally composed of the following:

 A general description of the environment: what, when, where, who, how the
accident happened

 What factors contributed to the accident. Including the state of individual, work
related and management factors, etc.

 How to prevent future occurrences of similar events

 All who have been involved in the accident, investigation and reporting, etc.

2. What is the purpose of traffic accident investigation?

The purpose of accident investigation is to determine what led to the accident

occurring, with the ultimate aim of identifying what can be improved (such as safety
controls, working practices, changes to protective equipment etc) to both ensure that
the same incident does not happen again, but also to prevent an even more serious
accident taking place at some point in the future.

3. What accident scene activities are involved in traffic accident investigation?

The accident scene activities that are involved in a traffic accident investigation
are REPORTING, AT-SCENE INVESTIGATION, TECHNICAL PREPARATION AND
PROFFESIONAL RECONSTRUCTION.
4. What are the 11 types of motor vehicle traffic accidents?

 SIDE-IMPACT COLLISIONS

Side-impact collisions occur when one vehicle crashes into the side of another.
These collisions are particularly dangerous, because there is less space on the side of a
vehicle to absorb the impact of the crash and help shield passengers.

 CRASHES WHILE MERGING

This type of crash occurs when two lanes of traffic merge together and one car
sideswipes another. These collisions are generally caused by drivers attempting to
merge, because they fail to check their blind spots as they are changing lanes.

 REAR-END ACCIDENTS

Common situations where rear-end collisions occur are when a car has already
stopped at the light and when the flow of traffic slows unexpectedly. Distracted drivers
who are following too closely fail to notice the stopped or slowed traffic with enough time
to react.

 HEAD-ON CRASHES

Head-on crashes are extremely dangerous and often fatal. They usually occur at
high speeds that make it difficult for the seat belt, airbag and other safety features of the
car to absorb the impact enough to protect passengers from severe injuries.

 MULTI-VEHICLE COLLISIONS

Multi-vehicle collisions involve three or more cars and tend to occur on busy
roads, freeways and highways. These accidents can be even more dangerous than
head-on crashes, because cars may receive multiple impacts from multiple angles.

 SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT

A single-car accident, as the name suggests, involves only one vehicle. These
types of accidents could be due to running off-road, colliding with fallen debris, animals,
or persons. These types of accidents are oftentimes caused by lack of focus (due to
drowsiness or DUI), or a mechanical malfunction such as brakes not working.

 SIDESWEEP

Sidesweeps involve two vehicle’s sides hitting or scraping each other, and often
only result in cosmetic damage.

 ROLLOVER

A rollover is an accident wherein one vehicle flips over its side or roof. This
generally happens when a vehicle executes a sharp turn which can result in significant
injury to the driver and passenger and damage to the car. However, it can also be due
to the impact from another vehicle. Among other vehicular accidents, rollovers have
relatively high fatality rate.

 HEAD-ON COLLISION

A head-on collision is an oftentimes-fatal accident wherein two vehicles’ front

ends impact each other. These often occur when a car overtakes another and hits an
oncoming vehicle. It’s important for one to be aware of traffic signs and street
conditions, and to always stay in the proper lane in order to avoid being a victim of a
head-on collision.

 PILE-UP
 A pile-up, or multiple vehicle-pile up, is an accident wherein more than two
vehicles are involved. This is the deadliest type of traffic accident as vehicles are
oftentimes hit more than once and in multiple directions, causing damage and injuries at
all sides. Even those escaping their vehicles during a pile-up are still at risk of getting hit
by oncoming vehicles.

5. What are the chain of events in traffic accident investigation?

1. PERCEPTION OF HAZARD – it is seeing, feeling or hearing and understanding the

usual or unexpected movement or condition that could be taken as a sign of an accident
about to happen

2. START OF EVASIVE ACTION – it is the first action taken by a traffic unit to escape
from a collision course or otherwise avoid a hazard

3. INITIAL CONTACT – the first accidental touching of an object collision course or

otherwise avoids a hazard

4. MAXIMUM ENGAGEMENT – it is the greatest collapse or overlap in a collision; the

force between the traffic unit and the object collided with are greatest at maximum
engagement

5. DISENGAGEMENT – it is the separation of a traffic unit in motion from an object with

which it has collided; the force between the object ceases at this time

6. STOPPING – this is when the traffic units involved come to rest; it usually stabilizes
the accident situation

7. INJURY – it is receiving bodily harm; this event does not necessarily occur after the
accident but within any of the chain of events; it may also happen right after the evasive
action taken by the drivers involved or during the initial contact

6. What is the difference between scuff marks and skid marks?

Skid marks are marks made by the tire when a vehicle wheel stops rolling and
slides or spins on the surface of the road. It is caused by rubbers deposited on the road
as well. Skid marks are considered as one form of trace evidence, when their size and
shape can reveal much about the vehicle speed and forces of acceleration or
deceleration. On the other hand, scuff marks are left on the road by tires that are
sliding or scrubbing while the wheel is still turning.