An auto-pedestrian accident with serious injuries, or a fatal pedestrian accident, usually results in an investigation by police to determine the cause. If evidence is found to prove that the accident was caused by a negligent driver who was distracted by texting and driving or by a driver’s failure to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, this information would be helpful in a lawsuit by the victim for compensation.
Police investigations are also vital in helping to find the driver and vehicle involved in a pedestrian hit-and-run accident. Evidence left behind at the accident scene could help police to identify the vehicle that was involved in the collision.
Connecticut police recently had the opportunity to participate in a training session that allowed the officers to investigated staged pedestrian accident, bicycle accident and jogger accident scenarios with crash dummies playing the role of the victims. During the session, the instructor crashed different types of motor vehicles into the dummies to show those participating in the training exercise the effect of high speed collisions and the evidence they leave behind.
Once the collisions were over, students had an opportunity to investigate the accident scene for clues and evidence that would assist them in determining the cause of the crash. The training allowed officers to practice accident reconstruction techniques under conditions that closely resembled the auto-pedestrian accident scenes they might encounter in real life.
Late model vehicles have onboard computers that provide investigators with vehicle speed and other information about their operation at the moment of the crash, but physical evidence found at the scene of an accident can be just as valuable. If you have been injured while walking on the street, a New Haven, Connecticut personal injury attorney might be of assistance to you in deciding if the evidence supports a claim for damages.
Source: Hartford Courant, “Smashing Dummies In Manchester Part Of Specialized Police Training,” Jesse Leavenworth, Nov. 12, 2015
