| Pedestrian and bicycle accidents in the United States result in approximately 80,000 and 50,000 injuries each year, respectively. Though pedestrians and bicycles move differently, they share important characteristics as both have little protection during a roadway collision with a motor vehicle. Therefore, to minimize the risk of injury, cyclists should wear helmets and both should obey traffic laws. The responsibility to avoid collisions also rests with motor vehicle drivers, who must obey traffic signals and yield to pedestrians and cyclists when appropriate. In many accidents, the visibility of pedestrians and cyclists to drivers, and vice-versa, is of central concern. |
Expertise | Questions Answered |
We have experience in many aspects of pedestrian and bicycle accidents including:
| |
Case Examples | |
| Bus Striking Boy in Crosswalk: A young boy was crossing a street with his aunt in New York City. Before he reached the other side, he was struck by a city transit bus whose driver claimed to have had a green light. We were able to show, based on the timing of the lights and measurements of the roadway, that the bus driver had more than enough time to perceive and react to the boy in the crosswalk and could have safely stopped the bus before impact, and further that the boy was not walking unusually slowly. |
Dr. Irving Ojalvo is Chairman of Technology Associates (www.technology-assoc.com), a forensic engineering firm with offices in New York City and Connecticut. The firm's technical personnel, all of whom have advanced degrees, perform accident reconstruction involving issues of biomechanics, mechanical, traffic, and human factors engineering.
©Copyright - All Rights Reserved
DO NOT REPRODUCE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION BY AUTHOR.
8/24/2012· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Security Camera Video Analysis and Animation
Animations are a powerful tool to illustrate how an accident occurred, and to make an engineer's accident reconstruction more accessible to individuals without engineering expertise.
7/22/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Warnings
A warning must inform individuals of a danger, which would not be obvious to them. It must tell them how to avoid the danger, and be easily understood. It should also provide them with the consequences of not heading the warning.
7/22/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Trucks
Heavy trucks, whether tractor-trailers, construction vehicles or garbage haulers, are involved in many serious traffic accidents due to their large weight, high centers of gravity, decreased visibility, poor handling and reduced braking efficiency. In addition, articulated tractor-trailers are subject to additional problems such as jack-knife and trailer sway instabilities.
