Total Crash Scene Mapping Stations MINNESOTA


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

In 1994, the metropolitan area encompassing Minneapolis and St. Paul witnessed 158 fatal crashes and 18,424 crashes with injuries, each of which required an incident investigation. Fatal and serious injury crashes can require investigators, usually police officers, to spend several hours gathering evidence and measuring the scene.

Crash scene management problems may interfere with or result from conducting investigations. Such problems include:



GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Total Crash Scene Mapping Station project aimed to assist in the investigation of fatal and serious injury crashes. Major objectives of the project included:



STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

The Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) established four Major Crash Investigation Teams (MCIT) to conduct the time-consuming investigations associated with crashes involving fatalities, serious injuries, large commercial vehicles and/or public transportation vehicles. The MCITs are led by

Total Crash Scene Mapping Stations (cont'd)

a certified crash reconstructionist and staffed by individuals with special expertise in various aspects of crash investigation. Each team leader has been provided with, and trained to operate, a surveyor-type electronic measuring device called an "electronic total station measuring device", or mapping station. Mapping stations improve the quality of investigations by taking more accurate measurements in 30 to 50 percent less time than conventional measurement procedures. Additionally, mapping stations store the information which can then be downloaded directly into a computer aided drafting (CAD) system for developing crash scene drawings.

RESULTS

The MSP is conducting an ongoing evaluation of the mapping stations. Data being collected include:

This information will be compared to similar past periods of time to highlight differences.

Results thus far have been extremely positive for the stated project objectives, both in terms of quality of the information gathered and the amount of time saved. Estimates suggest that investigators collect three times as much information in the same or less time than before, often without needing to close the road to traffic. Over 130 measurements are taken, thereby reducing or eliminating the need to return to the scene to gather more information. These measurements are taken by investigators, rather than police officers, leaving the officers free to talk to witnesses. Further, investigator safety is improved as the mapping station allows investigators to stand upright, eliminating the risk of crouching in the road to take measurements.