Traffic Homicide Investigation and Reconstruction

GMS6355

Elective Course
Credits: 3


This course will teach students the principles of traffic homicide investigation as well as the accepted methodologies necessary to reconstruct collision events. Topics will include Newton’s Laws of Motion, visual observation and documentation of physical evidence, research, calculation of vehicle parameters, calculation of scene parameters, analysis of human factors and calculation of time-distance relationships.

Syllabus (PDF)

Syllabus (Word Document)

Course Dates

Course Objectives:

  • Identify, understand and document collision evidence from roadways and vehicles.
  • Understand and apply Newton’s Laws of Motion associated with collision dynamics.
  • Calculate vehicle speeds utilizing energy loss methodologies.
  • Calculate vehicle speeds utilizing the conservation linear of momentum.
  • Reconstruct vehicular collisions based upon calculated time and distance relationships.

Topics:

  • Module 1: Newton’s Laws of Motion and Mathematics Review
  • Module 2: Introduction to Traffic Homicide Investigation and Reconstruction
  • Module 3: Evidence Collection and Documentation
  • Module 4: The Study of Time Distance Relationships
  • Module 5: Calculating Speed with Energy Loss
  • Module 6: Calculating Critical Curve Speed
  • Module 7: Conservation of Linear Momentum Calculations
  • Module 8: Special Circumstances of Pedestrian and Motorcycle Collisions
  • Module 9: Special Circumstances Involved with Commercial Motor Vehicle Collisions
  • Module 10: Forensic Vehicle Electronic Data Collection