NCJ Number
78338
Date Published
1968
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Recommended for inservice training of law enforcement officers, particularly in the New England area, this film demonstrates the proper procedure for an officer to follow during an investigation of a motor vehicle accident.
Abstract
Eugene A. Baril, an experienced motor vehicle investigator from Massachusetts, serves as the film's narrator. Baril recalls actual accounts of accidents and demonstrates some of them with models and photographs. The principles of motor vehicle investigation are discussed, with special emphasis on the crucial facts and on analysis of two actual cases. One case involved a single car that went out of control and ended in a fatality, while the other concerned a multicar collision. Particular attention is paid to the manner in which the officers examine the motor vehicles involved, observe the physical conditions of the surroundings (road, weather, traffic), question the victims, and obtain accounts from witnesses. It is emphasized that officers at the scene of an accident should call for medical help if needed, check the positions of the vehicles involved, and question the vehicles' occupants about what happened. In addition, police photographers should take pictures of the accident scene and officers should make a diagram of the accident. This diagram will serve as the officers' complete record of their investigation and may be used in court. A prerecorded question and answer period concludes the film. James P. Kelly serves as moderator for a panel consisting of Baril and two other officers from the New England area. Pertinent State laws and court cases are discussed briefly.