CDI4 – WEEK 13 – LESSON PROPER

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BACKGROUND:

FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
➢ To know what question to ask and what to look for, you must have some fundamental bearing on accident and
their causes.
➢ When you speak of a traffic accident, everybody knows that you mean something went WRONG on the highway,
either a car wrecked somebody injured or possibly killed.
➢ In this relation, as a traffic law enforcer, you should have knowledge of traffic accidents and their investigations.
Traffic Accident Investigation determines the following:
a. WHAT happened? d. WHY did.it happen?
b. WHEN and WHO was involved? e. HOW did the accident occur?
c. WHERE did it happen?

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT or COLLISION:

A traffic collision, also called a motor vehicle collision, car accident,
or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle,
pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,
such as a tree, pole or building. Traffic collisions often result in
injury, disability, death, and property damage as well as financial
costs to both society and the individuals involved. A number of
factors contribute to the risk of collisions, including vehicle design,
speed of operation, road design, road environment, driving skills,
impairment due to alcohol or drugs, and behavior, notably
distracted driving speeding and street racing.
Traffic Unit - Vehicles, pedestrians, animal drawn vehicles, animals herded by persons, etc.
Traffic Way - Area enclosed between property lines for purposes of traffic.
Causes of Traffic Accident
1. There are unsafe factors -Traffic accidents occur for various reasons. While problems with roads or safety
facilities lead to some accidents, majority of traffic accidents are caused by drivers' failure to abide by regulations,
consider pedestrians, and acknowledge dangerous behaviors.
2. Unsafe road environments- Unsafe road environments refer to external factors uncontrollable by drivers, such as
visibility impairment by darkness, slippery surface, insufficient safety facilities, inadequately repaired vehicles,
pedestrians or other vehicles that suddenly get in the way.
3. Insufficient driver knowledge-Traffic accidents are often caused by ignorance. Most driver knowledge is acquired
through experience. This is why so many new circumstances lead to accidents. If you know what happens when
you speed or suddenly stop under special circumstances including rain, snow or a winding road, you would be
careful not to speed or brake suddenly.
4. Failure to recognize danger -While there are some drivers who slow down upon recognizing potential dangers of
certain situations, others do not see any possible peril. These differences in danger recognition stem from
experiences and, in particular, different standards. Drivers with stronger desire to arrive at their destination as soon
as possible are more likely to take risks.
4. Improper thinking-There are many types of improper thinking that lead to reckless driving. Such thinking includes
believing that it is ok to violate traffic regulations as long as you do not cause accident; rushing to get to your
destination even when you are not late; and regarding pedestrians on the road as obstacles
5. Wrong driving habits
Many drivers tend to wrongly believe that their undesirable driving habits do not pose any danger just because
they have yet to cause traffic accidents. This belief can reinforce such habits and thus leads to fatal accidents
(3) ASPECTS TO THE CAUSE OF A TRAFFIC COLLISION/ ACCIDENTS
A. Early Cause - Any act of negligence on the part of person or organization which permits the existence of
MEDIATE CAUSE. (Act of MEDIATE CAUSE. (Act of (Act of Negligence)
Example:
a) Failure of the Government to provide better roads;
b) Failure of an Organization to train its drivers;
c) Drinking intoxicating liquor and/or taking medicines before driving;
d) Failure to check or maintain vehicle by the driver.
B. Mediate Cause - the irregular or unusual condition of the road, vehicle, whether, driver,
pedestrians(Conditional) or other traffic units - which permits the existence of
Examples:
a) Vehicles; c) Physical/mental condition of drivers;
b) Road and whether conditions; d) Other conditions of other traffic units.
C. Direct Cause - Any unconditional or hazardous behavior or negligence on the part of the traffic unit that
are hazardous.
Examples:
a) Speed - greater than safe c) Delayed perception
b) initial behavior of traffic unit d) Faulty evasive action

Human Error Causing Accidents

(1) Speed may be direct causes in three ways:
a) make it impossible to follow curve or road c) unusual surprise action.
b) makes it impossible to apply successfully evasive action
(2) Initial behavior- Movement or failure to signal intent that may cause accident
a) Unusual action - (ex.: Evading action) c) Hazardous behavior (Sleeping on wheel)
b) Illegal action (ex. Driving animals on highway)
(3) Delayed Perception- Failure to see or perceive the hazard or dangerous situation or faulty Evasive action -
response or reaction of the driver or traffic unit to a danger that has been perceived
a) following down d) backing up
b) turning left/right e) acceleration
c) stopping

CLASSIFICATION OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENT:

A. By Type
1. Collision with:
a. Pedestrian f. Animal
b. Motor Vehicle g. Fixed Object
c. Railroad Train h. Bicycle
d. Street Car i. Other Object
e. Animal Drawn Vehicle
2. Non-Collision
a. Running of Road
b. Overturning on the Road
B. By Severity
a. Fatal
b. Persons Injured
c. Property Damage
ACCIDENT PREVENTION
A road that is free from harm or danger, a place aimed to provide safety and prevention as a program to
eliminate the accident-prone areas by construction modifications, and repairs of structures, and replaced the
weak parts so as to avoid possible harm among motorists and other road users.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ANALYSIS

1. Condition of the motor vehicles involved in accident
2. Condition of the drivers at the time of the accident.
3. Load of the vehicle
4: Weather condition
5. Characteristics of the road, which involves the design condition, and inhabitants of then place of accident
6. Presence or absence of traffic sign and its condition. All these factors must be considered in order to fully
uncover the reasons of the accident and thereby provide factual bases in coming-up with a traffic prevention
program and traffic plans.

ORDER OF EVENTS IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ONE MUST INVESTIGATE ON:

This unfortunate happening that we speak of as an accident is always made up of a series of events that
usually takes place one after the other.
1. POINT OF POSSIBLE PERCEPTION
✓ delay in perception or perception time between the point of possible perception and actual perception.
✓ prompt perception is the perception of hazard which is actually nearly the possible accident.
✓ maximum delayed perception occurred when the traffic unit does not sense a hazard until he hits another
vehicle.
2. POINT OF NO ESCAPE
Always comes before the key point and sometimes beyond which accident cannot be prevented; although,
he may still be able to mitigate the accident for example by applying breaks on.
3. PERCEPTION OF HAZARDS
It is seeing, feeling or hearing the unexpected movements or conclusion that could be taken as a sign of the
accidental about to happen.
4. MAXIMUM ENGAGEMENT
Always comes after the key event. It is the time and positions on which vehicles, pedestrians or other are a
collision are pushed together as far as they will be.
5. FINAL REST
It is the place and time where objects involved finally come to rest without application of brake. It is the last
event of the place where it occurs.

ACCIDENT INVOLVING INJURY

1. Help Needed:
a. Medical Help Physician, Doctors, Nurses, Ambulance and Crew.
b. Mechanical Help - Equipment of Fire Department, Rescue Squads, Volunteer Help
2. Injuries requiring prompt action or first aid
a. Severe Bleeding - Arterial bleeding is the most serious.
b. Shock - Can cause death even when the injuries as, Minor "shock" is a depressed state of all body
function due to the failure of circulation.
c. Compound Fractures - when a bone breaks thru the surface of skin; or an object like a piles of steel
passes in from outside to break the bone.
d. Spinal and Neck Fractures - There is evidence of inability to move hands, feet, fingers and toes.
e. Asphyxiation or Suffocation - result from lack of oxygen caused by carbon monoxide poison (mouth
to mouth resuscitation)

TRAFFIC AND CROWD MANAGEMENT AT THE SCENE:

1. Priority of Traffic and Crowd Management to avoid:
a. Oncoming vehicles crush into wreckage
b. Additional accidents occurring in some distance way
c. Destruction of valuable evidence
2. Non- Police Help, get civilians to help whenever they are available
3. Warn Approaching Vehicles
4. Preserving signs of how the accident happened. Take extreme care to protect debris devoting the point of
collision, tire prints, skid marks, blood stains, broken of accessories and other short live evidence such sign
may have to be photograph or located by measurement are collected and preserved for better use.
5. Congestion and Parking
a. Major Traffic Obstruction like fallen tires, broken lines and over turned truck.
b. Complete road blockage - blockage are routine methods of detouring traffic.
6. Pedestrian and Bystanders

DUTY OF A TRAFFIC OFFICER IN TIME OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

A. Protect life and property G. Take measurement and diagrams and sketches
B. Protect the accident scene H. Identify the precise location where the accident occurred
C. Protect other properties I. Obtain equipment to remove damaged vehicle
D. Determine the cause of the accident J. Evaluate physical evidence
E. Locate drivers and witnesses K. Check the road and vehicle condition
F. Interview drivers and witnesses L. Make conclusions on the validity of statements

THE SIX (6) POSITIONS OF THE TWO-CAR CRASH:

a. Collision with vehicle ahead d. Collision at an intersection
b. Collision with vehicle behind e. Collision with an overtaking vehicle
C. Collision with vehicle oncoming f. Collision with another overtaking vehicle \

WHY IS ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IMPORTANT?

The traffic accidents can be prevented and it has been demonstrated in many places. The credit for
prevention cannot be claimed by a single group of law maker.
Engineers, Educators, Judges, the police and others all make significant contributions that one can judges
best how to prevent accidents by finding their causes.

ACCIDENT ARE INVESTIGATED FOR THESE 2 MAIN REASONS

1. To find the circumstances and causes for an accident prevention program.
2. To give opportunity for the police to gather enough evidence of law violation to take enforcement action.
3. To damage claims, insurance and adjustment purposes.

PREPARATION PLANNING FOR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

1. Know the general policies governing investigation
A. Territorial Jurisdiction
B. How far you are to go in investigating minor accident
C. Your relationship with other investigation.
2. Know what reports are requiring (know exactly) what kind of information this report requires as filing of
case either direct filing if suspect is at large or under custody and thereafter, release for Further Investigation
(RFI) as evaluation of inquest prosecutor is required thus, completion of affidavit of complainant and
witnesses taken by the investigator or the lawyer is required.
Completion of PNP accident report is also required as to determine the damage cost of accident (Damage to
property) and establishing also the act of reckless negligence prior to the filing of the case to the
corresponding court such as Metropolitan Trial Court or MTC for minor damage, and Regional Trial Court
RTC for the damage cost of Fifty Thousand Pesos P50, 000.00 and above. Mandatory filing of case to the
city inquest prosecutor is a must as the investigators have completed his investigation report more particularly
if it is fatal accident resulting into the death of a victim or homicide. The investigator will be mandatory to
submit affidavit of investigation with corresponding evidences, Post Mortem statement, statements of
witnesses and to locate the suspect whereabouts

3. Accessory duties
4. Confidential Information
5. Training - get some information you need out of books or experienced investigator
6. Learn good habits
✓ Be specific (don't guess)
✓ Distinguish facts from opinion
✓ See yourself
✓ Write down important events at the time don't depend too much on memory
✓ Grab at chances to get facts
7. T. Equipment/Transportation/Communication - Emergency equipment must be ready for keeping accident
from getting worse. This includes flares and fire extinguisher and first aid equipment. Get ready with simple
equipment like tape, flashlight, and camera equipment for records
8. In most accident be prepared

CDI4 – WEEK 14 – LESSON PROPER

FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Fire Prevention and Control in connection with traffic accidents - Even without special training, you can do a
lot to save lives, prevent property damage by taking basic steps.

ANTICIPATING FIRES
When persons injured are pinned in the wreckage, you might ordinarily let them stay until a doctor with the
necessary equipment arrives, but if there is a possibility of fire or an explosion, you may not have to wait. Get
them out of the best and quickest way you know and keep people away from the area since spill of flammable
gas is a risk.

HANDLING FIRES
Thing to remember when handling FIRE:
✓ Park at a safe place ✓ Isolate the fire
✓ As an investigator set a good example by ✓ When inflammable or explosive being carried by
your own behavior; get the appearance of trucks are involved
calmness and in control of the situation. ✓ Don't short at gas tank
✓ Use water sparingly inside on vehicles ✓ Fire in tires of vehicle - water is the best for tires a flame.
✓ Fire under hood - do not raise the hood if you can help it, this feeds oxygen to the flame and make it worse.
✓ Clothing on fire - do not let people run or move about this fans the flame. Get them down on the ground
simply roll the person over and over until the flames are out.

After the flame is out

Things to do once the flame is out:
A. Be certain that fire does not break out again D. Continue to protect vehicle until fire department takes over.
B. Move as many burned parts as you came E. Know your fire extinguisher.
a safe distance from the damaged property. F. Vaporized. Liquid MPC good for class A,B,C, Fires
B. Do not permit striking matches, or smoking near spilled liquids

✓ Carbon Dioxide - A B C fires ✓ Soda Acid - Not good for B and C Fires
✓ Dry Chemical - A BC Fires ✓ Foam- not good for C, Fires

CLASS OF FIRE
A - Paper wood rubbish clothes
B- Gasoline oils paints flammables
C- live electric, equipment, fuse, boxes

How to Prevent the Accident from getting worst

A. Look for any possible source of fire. C. Cordon the scene of accident and control crowd.
Switch off ignition of vehicle. D. Watch out for any looters.
Know how to extinguish in case of fire
B. Re-route and control the traffic.

THEFT PREVENTION IN CONNECTION WITH TRAFFIC ACCIDENT:

1. Protecting property is a primary police responsibility
2. Theft in connection with traffic accidents is eventually done by persons who do not come for the purpose
of stealing and the THEFT is not planned.
3. Theft can occur anytime there is anything of value at the scene.
4. Situations conducive to theft -
✓ Vehicle involved standing for same time
✓ Participants are unconscious or dead unable to protect their own belonging.
✓ Equipment is easily taken when doors are torn and can be locked, broken off window
5. How to prevent theft
✓ Warn drivers and owners of the possibility of theft. ✓ Closing car doors
✓ Enlist help of owners and driver to prevent theft. ✓ Locking things up on baggage compartments
✓ Turn over to a friend or associates of the owner at the scene ✓ Never have keys in ignition switch and Lock
your own door ✓ Locking things up on baggage compartments
✓ Closing car doors
6. Moving Damaged Vehicle
✓ The decision to move damage vehicle ✓ Removal for the owners
✓ Police authority to move and remove ✓ Arrangement with towing services
OTHER TYPES OF MOTOR ACCIDENT
1. How to avoid vehicles versus pedestrian accidents?
As of today, there is no definite DEFENSIVE DRIVING formula developed on how to avoid a vehicle versus
pedestrian accident. However, as we drive, we should be always especially watchful of the following:
1. Children
2. Elderly
3. Drunks
2. How to avoid vehicle versus fixed object accidents?
We should always be aware of what is going on around as well as on top of the vehicle we are driving. We
should check clearances.
3. How to avoid collision while backing?
In backing operation, it is best to check first the area you have to back up
✓ Get down and check under the vehicle ✓ Back-up slowly.
✓ Get someone to assist you while backing out. ✓ Avoid backing as much as possible.
4. How to avoid vehicle versus train accidents?
✓ Never beat the crossbuck.
✓ Stop, look, listen before crossing railroad tracks.
5. How to avoid vehicle versus animal accidents?
✓ Slow down.
✓ Give as much room as you Can to the animal
✓ Pass slowly.
6. How to avoid vehicle versus bicyclist accidents?
✓ Slow down, tap horn ✓ Give signals.
✓ Give as much room as you can to the cyclist ✓ Check your mirror.
as you pass. Remember how bow-waves can ✓ When changing lanes
affect the cyclist. ✓ Pass slowly.

✓ Change lane gradually and smoothly ✓ Watch out for hitchers.

without disrupting traffic to either lane, the lane you are leaving or the lane you are entering.
✓ When someone wants to pass, slow down; make it easy for him to pass.
7. How to move from parked position?
Priority as for cars moving thru, Wait for traffic to pass while you signal your intention to move out. Wait for
a break in the traffic before moving out.

ANTICIPATE THE HAZARDS

1. Make every stop a smooth and gradual stop.
2. Signal your intentions well, in advance
3. Try to keep him by riding your tail.

WHAT TO LOOK ON THE ROAD (AT THE SCENE OF ACCIDENT)

MARKS on the road help to tell what happened every motor vehicle accident leave some physical
evidence/sign of what happened. So far as you can you discover and correctly interpret them. This physical
sign cannot be disputed. They can often supplement statements of witnesses, prove and or disprove theories
of what happened.
.
I - DEBRIS - the accumulation of broken parts of vehicles, rubbish, dust and other materials left at the accident
by a collision. There are also several varieties each of which has its own meanings. Debris helps locate point
of collision.
1. UNDERBODY DEBRIS - This is mud, dust, rust paint and road tar which are knocked loose from the
underside of thee body, tenders, frame, and other parts by crumpling, shock or violent shaking of these
parts in collision.
2. VEHICLE PARTS - are debris when they are broken within collisions. They may drop underbody
debris; both usually scatter much more widely metal and glass parts, especially maybe snapped off a
thrown many feet away.
3. VEHICLE FLUIDS - are debris when spattered spilled on the road by force of collision or dropped
them from containers broken.
Example:
✓ Water from radiator ✓ Brake fluid
✓ Oil from crank case ✓ Battery acid
✓ gasoline/diesel fluid
- Vehicle fluids will leave a trail of dripping liquids from point of collision to patch of collision which
clearly marks path of vehicle.
4. LIQUID CARGOES - gasoline milk or any of hundreds of other liquids that are carried by the vehicle may
form debris.
5. SOLID CARGO - is debris when it is thrown or dropped on the street. Cargo may spill gradually at the
vehicles moves from the point of collision and so mark the path of vehicles to its final position. (Example -
cement, grain, fertilizer etc.)
6. ROAD MATERIAL - are debris when scattered from where they were on the street. They may be very
useful to show that a vehicle was partly in the area from which such debris came driving or immediately after
the collision.
7. BLOOD - as a liquid may locate the point at which a body came to rest or was located on the vehicle.
Blood may show the spot where the injured person crawled or to which the body was taken.

TIRE MARKS AND SKID MARKS

Cited marks are visible and even recognizable at the time of accident or even aftermath since it could be
easily traced at the pavement of the road when the driver in-charge of the motor vehicle stepped on his brake.
Skid marks are marks caused by tires on road which occur when a vehicle wheel stops rolling and slides or
spins on the surface of the road.
IMPORTANCE OF SKID MARK IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
skid marks can be analyzed to find the maximum and minimum vehicle speed prior to an impact or
and incident.
KINDS OF SKID MARKS
Pavement Grinding
It is the collection of many scratches and some larger one form by particles of gritty materials such as stone,
gravel, glass and sometimes bit of metal embedding itself in the rubber tire or in the thread pattern and being
ground or scored against the road surface.
Tire Grindinge
It is the collection of particles of occurs on hard, dry, granular surfaces, particularly especially before the tire
gets enough smear. It Weathered or new but not traffic- polished cement.
Erasing
It is a clean light area where a sliding tire had erased or removed dirt from the pavement.
TYPES OF ENDING SKID MARK
1. Overlapping skid mark occurs when the rear wheels track on top of the front wheel marks in sliding.
2. Front Wheel Marks are in long skids on hard pavement with bituminous binders. Front wheels' skid marks
in which most of the mark is at edge of tire.
A. QUESTIONING AS PART OF INVESTIGATION
1) Adds to the total information obtained from all sources.
2) It can verify a disprove some opinions based on observations of physical evidence or statement made.
However, obtaining statements from people is not a goal of investigation but a method, statement are not
necessarily conclusive.
B. PRINCIPLE OF GETTING INFORMATION
1) Be objective. How you feel about a person's race business. Your dislikes for foreigner's religion or sex
and similar personal reactions should not prejudice your theory of the case, these feelings easily show in the
expression on your face and manner of speech. Hence, the person resists giving facts you ask for.
2) Be positive. Make your questions positive. Let the witness know you are aware that he knows some
information and you mean to get it. Ask questions in straight, forward, clear manner.
3) Be specific. To get useful answer be certain that the driver or witness understand your question. Make
them as specific and clear as you would like the answer to be.
4) Be sure that you know what the answer really means. Many answers are unclear and indefinite.
5) Don't suggest answer.You must not trust your own opinion. Many people are very susceptible to
suggestion.
6) Avoid conflict. Try to avoid conflict between yourself and witnesses. The best way to do this is to keep
driver and witnesses apart until each has had a chance to tell history in his own way.
7) Be adaptable. You must be adjustable questioning to get the information when and where the driver or
witnesses is best prepared give it.
8) Verify statements. Information is worthless unless it is accurate.
9) Be diplomatic and understanding. Don't expect drivers to freely confess their violations and mistakes.
You get better cooperation and better answer to your question if you are synthetics, reasonable and
understanding.
10) Do not embarrass people. Never show sarcasm. You will only create antagonism and lack of
Cooperation.