Traffic Tech #212: Maryland State Police Pilot Test An Electronic Station System To Document Crashes

The Maryland State Police (MSP) initiated a program in their motor vehicle collision reconstruction unit to improve data collection at the scene of crashes. At the heart of the the trial project was an electronic total station system. This device is a standard survey theodolite device (measuring instrument) that measures vertical and horizontal angles and distances. This device stores physical evidence and roadway design information for subsequent down loading and analysis, eliminating the need to record the measurements by hand. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Maryland State Highway Administration (MD SHA) purchased the station system equipment.

The MSP crash team started the pilot project and documented the use of the total station system between July 1, 1994 and December 31, 1994. They found:

• Improved speed and efficiency of the crash investigation. This system, compared to the old technique of coordinate measuring, produced three times the information and gathered it in half the time. While each collision is unique, the crash team found they could respond to a crash scene and be finished with their observations in about thirty minutes.

• Reduced related congestion On scene data collection was reduced from several hours to, in many cases, fractions of an hour with no additional impact to traffic. This occurred because using the total station system allowed for controlled movement of vehicles through the incident compared to a complete road closure with the previous system.

• Increased accuracy of the information. The precision of the data gathered increased from 0.5 inches to 0.01 inches.

• Decreased time for diagraming. The time from the reproduction of the collected points to the scaled diagram decreased from 8-10 hours to about 2 hours per forensic map. By using other computer software and hardware applications, the diagrams could be projected electronically for courtroom and other presentations.

• Improved measurements for motor vehicle collision reconstruction. The information collected was very precise for distance and angle measurements which were used for momentum speed analysis, crash deformation measurements, and animations and simulations.

As the system was used and promoted within the MSP, other divisions recognized the advantages of the total station system. Through NHTSA's shared technology program, MSP's Special Operations Division and the Criminal Intelligence Division were also able to use it to map anticipated demonstration areas for manpower placement and management. The MSP Training Division used it to map the driver training track. The Crime Laboratory Unit and the Medical Examiners Office used it to map scenes in homicides, bombings, airplane crashes, and other law enforcement incidences.

Other law enforcement agencies such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Euclid City Police Department in Tri-County Township, PA, have tested this equipment.

For More Information

Contact TFC James Rineholt or TFC Glenn Saltsman, Maryland State Police Crash Team, 10100 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740, (301) 982-7194, or at mspcrash@qis.net

This publication is distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the interest of information exchange. If trade or manufactures' names or products are mentioned, it is only because they are considered essential to the object of the publication and should not be construed as an endorsement. The United States government does not endorse products or manufacturers.

U.S. Department
of Transportation
National Highway
Traffic Safety
Administration
400 Seventh Street, S.W. NTS-31
Washington, DC 20590

Traffic Tech is a publication to disseminate
information about traffic safety programs,
including evaluations, innovative programs,
and new publications. Feel free to copy it as you wish.
If you would like to receive a copy contact:
Linda Cosgrove, Ph.D., Editor, Evaluation Staff
Traffic Safety Programs
(202) 366-2759, fax (202) 366-7096
mailto:lcosgrove@nhtsa.dot.gov