Methods for investigating road accidents

Abstract

Abstract We present our analysis of road accidents in the Russian Federation showing the rate of accidents on the roads in this country. We present the analysis of the methods used for road vehicles expert investigations related to road accidents; these methods are based on the dependence of the vehicle’s deceleration rate on the tires traction factor. The deceleration parameters used in calculations are erroneously assumed equal for the same roadway conditions for road vehicles having different weights and tire design features, which contradicts with the latest test results. Use of active safety systems in a road vehicle demands corrections in table statistical data that we recommended for use in the methods for road accidents expert investigations. On the basis of the research of the influence of deceleration on the deceleration parameters of road vehicles, we calculated the dependency of the deceleration process on various external factors and found the theoretical basis for the influence of external factors on the deceleration process. We have examined the deceleration process as to the load onto the road vehicle’s wheels, as longitudinal shifting of the wheel causes elastic forces of suspension elements deformation (shock-absorbers) with a higher stiffness factor. We have established the basis of the generalized factors of non-linear viscous friction influencing the system in the road vehicle deceleration process, when they are applied to the system at four contact points between the tire and the road pavement, and dispersive forces working in shock-absorbers reacting to the possible shifting. Such theoretical approach can be realized through computer modeling during road accidents expert investigations, i.e., we should consider the inter-relations of all the environment factors that caused the particular situation. This is the way to increase the accuracy and adequacy of road accidents investigations.