Background
On a foggy early morning in Michigan, two commercial dump trucks, a car hauler and a motorcycle were involved in a complicated crash scenario on a two-lane state route. Two of the commercial dump trucks were stopped, with one blocking nearly the entire westbound lane of the roadway in near zero visibility in darkness. The car hauler came upon the stopped dump truck blocking the westbound lane, the driver of the car hauler took evasive action, but struck the extreme right rear corner of the stopped dump truck. The car hauler lost control, struck a different stopped dump truck and the car hauler flipped over. An eastbound motorcycle skidded and slid into the car hauler resulting in fatal injuries to the motorcyclist.
Introtech Accident Reconstruction Services
There was in-car video from the responding Michigan State Police officers that documented the visibility conditions and evidence at the crash scene. Although no at-scene measurements were taken by the state police, the police photographs, body worn camera video and in-car camera video were analyzed by Mr. Danniger, Mr. Eschenfelder and Matthew Healy so that an after-crash situation scale drawing was prepared. This was critical because the two dump trucks were moved from their at-impact locations.
Introtech visited the crash location and conducted drone overflight documentation of the roadway in conjunction with total station measurements. With that data Matthew Healy conducted a reverse projection camera match overlay of the evidence field allowing a more detailed analysis of the evidence field than the scale drawing alone.
The Introtech staff inspected the motorcycle, both dump trucks and the car hauler including scanning them with a 3D scanner. It was discovered that the retroreflective tape and marker lights on the side of the lane blocking dump truck were degraded and ineffective. The angle of the dump truck in conjunction with the degraded tape created an extremely difficult detection and perception issue for westbound drivers, especially at night and in foggy conditions.
Analysis
A human factors analysis was conducted in order to determine a conspicuity and perception analysis of the lane blocking dump truck. Speed calculations were conducted for the motorcycle and the car hauler. Depositions were reviewed in conjunction with statements made and documented by the police body worn video camera. The autopsy report for the deceased motorcyclist was analyzed. A damage analysis was conducted for the car hauler and the lane blocking dump truck and then compared to the original vehicle specifications and dimensions for those units. The Dodge car hauler was equipped with an air bag control module that contained an event data recorder that captured pre-crash data. Research was conducted into the weather and visibility conditions.
Opinion
Utilizing the data, calculations, nighttime perception and response analysis, review of depositions and the critical data obtained from the vehicle and scene inspections, a reconstruction was performed. It was determined that the stopped lane blocking dump truck was not reasonably discernible and created an unnecessary risk and dangerous hazard in the foggy conditions. The driving strategy for the car hauler driver was reasonable and prudent and did not contribute to the cause of the crash. It was unnecessary for the driver of the lane blocking dump truck to have parked his vehicle in a manner which blocked the lane, which created an especially hazardous condition for westbound traffic, especially in the fog conditions that existed at that time.
The driver of the car hauler was driving at a speed below the speed limit and despite the adverse visibility conditions, he completed perception and response and took evasive action but could not avoid impact with the lane blocking dump truck.
Deposition testimony had confirmed that prior to reaching the crash location, the motorcycle had been passing a line of stopped traffic and was operating at an unsafe speed.
Mr. Lipian and Eschenfelder completed a detailed and extensive report outlining Introtech’s findings that the proximate cause of the crash was due to the reckless actions of the lane blocking dump truck driver.
Results
After both Mr. Lipian and Eschenfelder had been deposed, settlement negotiations were conducted and the case settled favorably for the defense of the car hauler.