It is with a heavy heart that NAPARS announces the passing of John Meserve. John was a very well-known figure in the accident reconstruction community and will be greatly missed. He was a former President of NAPARS and is probably most known for his segment on CNN in reference to the Princess Diana collision.
We have over 200 people coming to Newport Beach CA for 3 days of fabulous training and information in EDR issues. Can't wait to see you all! Peace. -W
Next month's training on "Body Language for Expert Witnesses" with Alan Moore has been approved for 2 CEUs. Visit the EVENTS tab to register - the confirmation email will include the Zoom link.
Good News, Everybody!
Next month's Zoom Training has been approved for two ACTAR CEUs. Mark your calendars. Free for NAPARS members, only $5 for everyone else. The show will be recorded and saved in the Reference Library afterwards for members to review later (though CEUs and attendance cert are only for live-viewing). Registration is open at the EVENTS tab.
See you then! Peace. -W
NAPARS is teaming up with the Midwest Center For Traffic Safety for their 3-day conference in Itasca Illinois, Nov 13 -15, 2024, for only $300. (yes, just three Ben Franklins!) This event brings together traffic safety professionals including members of law enforcement, prosecutors, safety directors, and public and private crash investigators. There will be live crash tests! Who doesn't love crash tests? They are planning to hold an ACTAR test, and will be applying for CEUs for the whole program. Visit their website for more details and to register:
https://www.midwesttrafficsafety.org/event-details-registration/2024-midwest-traffic-safety-conference
If you're not on facebook, you can still follow along with the day's recon-tidbit by scrolling down on our website's front page. The past few days seem to be all you can view there, but it's better access than nothing. We recently had a bicycle-related post that got hundreds of comments. Not all of them constructive. This is the interwebs, I guess.
Some time back, I assembled a database of all the articles which have appeared in ARJ & AIQ and a few other places. It includes titles, authors, keywords, my subjective value assessment, and sometimes a little description of what the article contains. Andy Rich was kind enough to provide the programming script to search by either author or keywords. I have updated the list to include the latest ARJ (#200). The Excel file is in the Reference Library. Peace. -W
AnalyzerPro has just offered NAPARS members a 30% discount (50€ or about $54) on their 1-2 hour seminars coming up in May (3D Photogrammetry with Agisoft, offered twice) and April (Basic recon with AnalyzerPro, offered 4 times) Both courses will be held online via Zoom. https://analyzer.at/en/seminare/ AnalyzerPro is a fairly comprehensive package for crash analysis that has been around for decades, mostly in Europe. They are looking to expand in the US market. I will probably take them up on at least one of them just to stay informed of what's out there. The classes are listed in the NAPARS website event page, but registration is at their website.
"Illuminating the Truth: A Systematic Approach to Nighttime Crash Scene Investigation"", 2 hours with Dr. Jeffrey Muttart via Zoom
Our speaker will be Dr. Muttart, the Director of Research and Training at the Driver Research Institute, LLC, in CT, USA. Learn more at their website: https://driverresearchinstitute.com/
DATE: Thursday, 04 January 2024 TIME: 12 noon - 2 pm Eastern Standard Time COST: Free for NAPARS member; $5 for non-members LOCATION: Worldwide Via Zoom
ACTAR: This event will be submitted to ACTAR for CEU consideration.
Registered attendees will be able to request an attendance certificate.
OUTLINE:
1. Introduction
Overview: Importance of accurate nighttime crash scene documentation
Objective: Teach investigators to avoid biases and ensure fairness in documentation
2. Understanding Nighttime Visibility
The challenge of nighttime investigations
Common misconceptions about visibility at night
Realities of driver perception vs. pedestrian/investigator assumptions
3. The Role of Bias in Crash Investigation
How prior knowledge can skew perceptions
Recognizing and mitigating investigator bias
Case studies: Biased vs. unbiased investigation outcomes
4. Signal Detection Theory in Crash Investigations
Explaining the basics of signal detection theory
Application in analyzing crash scenarios
Contrasting results: With and without signal detection theory application
5. The CAPLETS Approach
Introduction to CAPLETS: Contrast, Anticipation, Pattern, Lighting, Eccentricity, Time of Exposure, Size
How each factor influences crash scene visibility
Applying CAPLETS for comprehensive scene analysis
6. Hands-on Techniques for Scene Documentation
"At-scene approach": Practical steps for on-site investigation
Using a contrast gradient target: Ensuring image accuracy
Effective methods for taking light meter readings
Incorporating artificial light sources: Headlights and streetlights
7. Developing Best Practices
Rules of thumb for nighttime investigation
Checklist for investigators
Avoiding common pitfalls
8. Concluding Thoughts
The importance of objective, systematic investigation
Resources for further learning and practice
9. Workshop Activities
Practical exercises on applying the CAPLETS approach.
Simulated crash scene investigation
Review and feedback session
10. Closing Remarks
Final Q&A Session
Reminder of investigator’s responsibility for unbiased documentation
NAPARS, PO Box 866Farmington NH 03835603.923-8077admin@napars.org
