Accident Terms and Definitions

Blood alcohol testing
At all levels of blood alcohol concentration, the risk of being involved in a crash is greater for young people than it is for older people (Mayhew 1986). In 2001, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking alcohol (NHTSA 2002b).

Pedestrian Manifestations
Those items of evidence deposited at the collision scene by the pedestrian during or following impact.

Triangulation
Technique for scene documentation where items of evidence are located by measuring the distance between two (2) reference points.

PT - Physical Therapy
the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of dysfunction caused by injuries to the soft tissue and muscles/skeleton . Treatment shall consist of therapeutic exercises, education and other modalities, such as the therapeutic use of heat, light, water, electricity, massage & more.

Reference Point
In angular momentum, the point in space around which the motion of an object is described. The angular momentum of an object is defined in relation to some point, the reference point. The velocity and radius of an object are measured from the reference point.

Elderly & Older Drivers
Drivers typically 65 or 70 years old, most states require renewal applicants to appear in person and to pass a vision test.

Tripped Rollovers
NHTSA data show that 95% of single-vehicle rollovers are tripped . This happens when a vehicle leaves the roadway and slides sideways, digging its tires into soft soil or striking an object such as a curb or guardrail.

Collision Scrub
Occurs during a traffic collision when the downward and rotating forces cause a smearing of tire material on the road surface.

Breakover Angle
when a vehicle crests a hill, it's the angle at which the front tires still remain on the ground as the rear wheels continue to climb (see High Centered)

Failure to signal
There are laws and driving rules that instruct proper turning signals, at time a hand or a light signal is required to be used. A right hand turn may not be permited, or a turn in an intersection may be done incorectly.