Commercial Vehicle Accident Reconstruction

Accidents involving commercial vehicles are often associated with large financial loss and significant injuries to the occupants of other vehicles involved. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 80,000 pounds or more, which is approximately twenty times as much as a passenger vehicle. This large difference in weight can complicate the accident reconstruction with seemingly disproportionate damage. Additionally, the difference in weight between a fully loaded semi tractor-trailer versus a passenger vehicle can mean that the injury severity and impact severity are much more amplified for the lighter vehicle.

Commercial vehicles are heavy-duty trucks by many different names:

Semi Tractor Trailers
Heavy Trucks
Multi-Axle Trucks
Concrete Trucks (In-Transit Mixers)
Box Trucks
Garbage Trucks
Over The Road (OTR) Trucks
Long-Haul Trucks

Some areas of investigation that are unique to commercial vehicles include:

Brake Systems Analysis
Analysis of "Black Box" Data from the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM)
Analysis of Onboard Camera Footage (a.k.a. DashCam, or DriveCam),
Global Positioning System (GPS) Data
Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) analysis, functionality, and driver responsibility

Our forensic engineers understand the mechanical systems of commercial vehicles and are experienced at incorporating their unique data and evidence into our commercial vehicle accident reconstructions. Please review the sections below for more information on unique areas of investigation tailored to commercial vehicle accident reconstruction.

Accident Reconstruction Services

Commercial Vehicle Braking Systems

The braking systems on commercial vehicles differ significantly from passenger vehicle brakes. While passenger vehicles use hydraulically actuated systems, commercial trucks and tractor-trailers typically employ air brake (pneumatic) systems. These systems are robust and reliable when properly maintained but require frequent inspections to ensure proper operation.

Key points about commercial vehicle air brake systems include:

Air brake components: Slack adjusters, pushrod stroke, and lining thickness are critical to proper operation.
Federal standards compliance: Brakes are inspected according to CFR 49, Part 396 (DOT inspection standard).
Importance of inspection: Even well-maintained brakes can fail; specialized accident reconstruction is often needed to determine if brake failure contributed to a crash.

Veritech engineers have conducted hundreds of commercial vehicle accident reconstructions, evaluating the condition and operation of air brake systems to determine their role in accidents.

Commercial Vehicle Black Box and Engine Control Module (ECM) Data

“Black box” data from Engine Control Modules (ECM) and Event Data Recorders (EDR) has become an invaluable tool for commercial vehicle accident reconstruction. Most modern semi-tractors are equipped with ECMs that log deceleration-triggered data (a.k.a. "Hard-Brake event), including vehicle speed, brake usage, throttle position, and engine performance.

Other vehicle modules, such as trailer brake controllers, also store faults and operational data. Since heavy trucks are often assembled with components from multiple manufacturers, interpreting this data requires specialized expertise.

Key considerations for ECM and black box analysis include:

Manufacturer-specific protocols: ECM data formats vary by manufacturer, and improper downloads can overwrite or corrupt valuable data.
Integration with accident evidence: Data must be correlated with physical evidence to ensure accuracy.
Advanced forensic analysis: Veritech engineers are skilled at extracting and interpreting ECM data, providing peer-reviewed insight into commercial vehicle crashes.

Commercial Vehicle Dashboard Camera (Dashcam) Video Analysis

Dashcams and onboard video systems, commonly installed on semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles, provide critical visual data of events leading up to and during an accident. Modern systems include wide-angle views, often pointing in the driver’s line of sight, and record video continuously or on-demand.

Veritech’s photogrammetry and videogrammetry capabilities allow our engineers to extract scientifically accurate measurements from dashcam footage, including:

Vehicle speed and acceleration
Distances and spatial relationships
Driver perception-reaction times
Vehicle trajectory and impact analysis
Vehicle positioning within lane and roadway

This advanced video analysis has become near-essential for commercial vehicle accident reconstruction, helping determine causation, evaluate driver behavior, and support litigation or insurance claims.

Commercial Vehicle GPS Data Analysis

GPS tracking is increasingly common on tractor-trailers, providing position data based on satellite triangulation. From this data, forensic engineers can estimate:

Vehicle speed
Acceleration and deceleration
Vehicle trajectory
Vehicle location

However, GPS data comes with limitations:

Refresh rate limitations: Events occurring between one-second intervals may not be recorded.
Positioning accuracy: Typical errors of 7–10 feet can influence speed and position calculations.

Veritech engineers are trained to account for these nuances to ensure accurate GPS-based reconstructions.

Dynamics of Articulated Vehicles

Commercial tractor-trailers and multi-trailer vehicles present unique challenges due to articulation dynamics. The pivoting of trailers around the kingpin, trailer off-tracking, and weight distribution significantly influence vehicle behavior before, during, and after a collision.

Key factors in articulated vehicle accident reconstruction include:

Trailer dynamic stability and off-tracking of wheel paths
Kingpin detachment scenarios
Load distribution and vehicle geometry
Trailer under-ride and passenger vehicle over-ride

Veritech’s engineers have experience in analyzing these dynamics, providing reliable accident reconstruction reports that account for the unique behavior of articulated commercial vehicles.

Why Choose Veritech for Commercial Vehicle Accident Reconstruction

Veritech Consulting Engineering combines hands-on experience with forensic engineering expertise to provide comprehensive commercial vehicle accident reconstruction services. Our engineers are skilled in:

Air brake system evaluation and DOT compliance analysis
ECM and EDR (black box) data interpretation
Dashcam video analysis using photogrammetry and videogrammetry
GPS data analysis for speed, trajectory, and acceleration calculations
Articulated vehicle dynamics and multi-trailer crash reconstruction
Analysis of unique physical evidence related to commercial vehicle accidents

Veritech engineers have authored peer-reviewed publications with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) on commercial vehicle accident reconstruction and are recognized leaders in the field. By integrating physical evidence, vehicle system analysis, and advanced technology, Veritech ensures accurate, reliable, and court-qualified commercial vehicle accident reconstructions.