Vehicle Crash Reports using Telematics and On-Board Video Cameras

Introduction:

Self-regulation in the transport industry has the ability to make a significant impact in efforts to make roads safer. Through effective fleet management and logistics, transport operators are able to have effective control over the transport of cargo and people and the way in which their drivers share the roads with other road users.

On the Arrive Alive website we emphasize the importance of safety technology in vehicles and the benefits it have to offer for road safety.

We would like to illustrate this with the "Driving / Crash Report" from a recent truck crash caught on camera by a fleet operator.

We would also like to acknowledge FleetCam for making this available to us.

 

FleetCam video data has been retrieved from the above vehicle with particular reference to events that relate to the time of the accident.

A) Basic Information:

Vehicle Make:

Registration No:

Date of Accident: 11 May 2015

Time of Accident (Impact): 21h:16m:05s (Night time)

Duration of Accident: 5 seconds

B) Accident Location:

• Road Name/Number:
• GPS Co-ordinates:
• Road Type: Dual Lane,
• Road Surface: Tar
• Road Signs: Exist.
• Weather Conditions: Windscreen appears to show signs of rain.

Possible wet road.

• Point of Impact: Identifying symbol - 

Accident Location – Google Map

Accident location – Road View

Accident location – Satelliet View

C) Video Recordings

1. Camera 1: Road Ahead (Drivers View)

1. Video Clip Start: 21h.14m.41sec. End: 21h.16m.10sec. Duration of Video Clip 1Min29 sec
2. Video reveals vehicle is frequently driven on the oncoming traffic lane, passing another vehicle on a solid white line and on a curve.
3. Two Seconds before actual impact, it appears that the driver lost control, perhaps an “over-steer” correction.
4. Passed two trucks which appeared to have engaged low gear.

2. Camera 2: In Cab (Focused on Driver)

1. Video Clip Start: 21h.14m.42sec. End: 21h.16m.10sec. Duration of Video Clip 1Min28 sec.
2. Video reveals driver appears to be alert.
3. The driver seems to have been distracted with newspapers/documents that were sliding on the left side of his seat, at 21h16m.01sec he loses control of the vehicle.

3. Camera 3: Trailer (Passenger side)

1. Video Clip Start: 21h.14m.42sec. End: 21h.16m.10sec. Duration of Video Clip 1Min28 sec.
2. Video confirms Note C.1.b as above
3. At time 21h.16m.03sec it appears that the truck/trailer jack-knifed resulting in the driver losing control.

D) Vehicle Speed

Vehicle speed is GPS based at 1 second intervals)

• Max Speed recorded at start of video: 116km/h.
• Overtook 1st truck at just less than 60km/h then speed increased to 95km/h.
• Overtook 2nd truck at just less than 50km/h then speed increased to 77km/h.
• Total distance travelled during the recorded video clip: 2.5km.
• Total travel time during video clip: 1 min. 29sec.
• Actual speed when driver lost control: 76km/h.
• Actual speed at impact: 78km/h.

E) G-Force at Impact

FleetCam embedded 3-axis accelerometer records the following:

• X-Axis (Green): Records Horizontal Movement of the vehicle, (Left/Right or Roll over).
• Y-Axis (Purple): Records Acceleration & Decelleration of the vehicle, (Forwards/Backwards).
• Z-Axis (Blue): Records Vertical Movement of the vehicle, (Up/Down).

During normal driving conditions and when driving on good condition tar roads, the accelerometer will record acitivities below 1G-force.

Actual Recorded G-Force on Impact:

• X-Axis (Green): Exceeds 3G-force indicating severe horizontal movement of the vehicle resulting in a possible roll over.
• Y-Axis (Purple): Erractic deceleration followed by sudden acceleration and suddenly stop at ZERO G-force.

Excessive deceleration can be attributed to point of impact,

Sudden acceleration after impact may indicate wheel spinning during & possible roll over.

• Z-Axis (Blue): Excessive Vertical movement is experienced when a vehicle is in the motion of an accident and will especilly be evident if the vehicle is heading in a downward direction.

Notes on Distracted Driving and Driver Distractions

Much emphasis is placed in the media on the driver distractions of cellular phone calls and texting while driving. We often do not recognize that there are so many other driver distractions such as newspapers, a cup of coffee or other objects sliding around that might distact the driver of a vehicle. 

The above videos from the dashboard camera presents a clear and very important warning to drivers to avoid more than just their cellular phones while driving! It is of the utmost importance that we keep both our eyes on the roads, both hands on the steering wheel and the focus on driving.

Also view:

Fleet Management. Logistics and Road Safety

Vehicle Telematics, Accident Investigation and Fleet Management

Dashboard Camera Recorders and Road Safety

Avoiding Distractions while Driving