Case Studies
Pedestrian Accident
A 35 year old man was struck by a southbound traveling car as he was crossing a one-way street.
We were asked to determine which way he was crossing: from east to west, from between parked cars,
or from west to east at a crosswalk further along the roadway. We reviewed his medical records and
analyzed all the fractures, contusions, and abrasions he received. A right tibia fracture and knee
dislocation were documented and one-sided abrasions were along his right side.
We reviewed the police report to determine his position of final rest with respect to the vehicle's position at final rest and the accident sequence. We examined the vehicle for contact marks and reviewed photographs of the accident scene. We researched expected pedestrian kinematics (from experimental tests using anthropometric dummies and cadavers), following a vehicle impact with the impact speed from an accident reconstructionist as our input.
We also developed a simple Madymo model (Mathematical Dynamic Model) based on the geometry and inertia of the pedestrian, vehicle, and the accident scene and analyzed each proposed situation in detail. Based on the one-sided pattern of injuries, his position at final rest, and the results of our simulation, we determined that he was crossing from east to west from between parked cars.