Stopper & Associates, LLC Motor Carrier Safety / Highway Collision Research & Reconstruction Nationwide Commercial Motor Vehicle Investigations

Stopper & Associates, LLC Truck & Bus Collision Investigations Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (FMCSR) & Commercial Drivers License (CDL) compliance

Forensic Mapping Laser “Total Station” measurements Forensic Mapping Laser “Total Station” measurements. “Reflectorless” unit allows detailed scene diagramming without interference with normal traffic flow.

Fatal Collision Involving 2 Chemical Tankers

Forensic Map with Reconstruction Analysis Rollover – Fatality involving two fuel tankers

Forensic mapping of School Bus -Refuse truck multiple fatal

Forensic mapping of crash vehicle & exemplar vehicle

Forensic - Computer Impact Analysis

Crash Scene Forensic Mapping & Reconstruction Analysis

Forensic map / Satellite Photo Overlay of Crash Scene

Portable Performance Based Brake Testing Portable Performance Based Brake Testing* Vehicle weight, brake balance, air pressure and brake force testing *49 CFR 393.52(a)(4) approved test method

PBBT Testing– Transportation Research Center (TRC) – East Liberty, OH

PBBT Testing Accident Reconstruction Conference Houston, TX

Stopper & Associates, LLC PBBT - Brake Testing – Bus Involved in Rollover – Multiple Fatalities New Brunswick, Canada

Commercial Vehicle Brake Testing & Crash Reconstruction Training

Stopper & Associates, LLC Training Law Enforcement & Collision Reconstruction Specialists in the USA & Canada

David Stopper holds a CDL for all classes of Commercial Motor Vehicles and is a registered USDOT Motor Carrier

Stopper & Assoc., LLC Mobile Forensic Lab & Incident Response Unit

Fatality involving multiple brake failures Case Study Investigated by NTSB & Stopper & Assoc., LLC National Transportation Safety Board, Collision Between Truck-Tractor Semitrailer and School Bus Near Mountainburg, AR on May 31, 2001, NTSB/HAR-02/03; PB2002-916203; Adopted September 4, 2002.

Air Brake Examination

Type 30/30 Brake Chamber & Automatic Slack Adjuster

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 49 CFR 393.1 requires CMV maintained to applicable standards 49 CFR 393.53 requires Automatic Brake Adjusters on CMVs manufactured on/after 10/20/94. 49 CFR 393.55(c)(1) requires ABS on air brake truck tractors manufactured on/after 3/1/97 49 CFR 393.55 (c)(2) requires ABS on air brake trucks, buses & trailers manufactured on/after 3/1/98

Brake adjustment indicator 49 CFR 393. 53(c) Air Brake Vehicles Mfg Brake adjustment indicator 49 CFR 393.53(c) Air Brake Vehicles Mfg. After 10/20/94

Type C- 30 (Clamp Type) Air Brake Chamber Application Force Chart

NTSB reported: “A broken spring, which is difficult to detect, can reduce emergency-parking brake forces or render the emergency-parking brake inoperable, and the broken spring pieces can be displaced, thus shortening the pushrod stroke or preventing the automatic slack adjuster from functioning. The extent of the broken spring problem is undetermined.

Conclusions It has become apparent there is a general lack of knowledge as to the critical nature of proper installation, lubrication and periodic inspection of these critical safety devices.

Conclusion It is very important that collision investigators and CMV maintenance personnel be trained and become familiar with the operation and critical factors that can render ASA / ABAs inoperative leading to diminished brake force and/or brake failure.

Conspicuity Investigations Stopper & Associates works with internationally know experts in night time & low light visibility crashes Worked with motor carriers to install retroreflective materials for safety before it was required by law Stopper & Associates is unique in its ability to analyze and measure the condition of retroreflective surfaces.

CONSPICUITY ARE YOU SURE OF WHAT YOU ARE SEEING?

CONSPICUITY A MEASURE OF THE LIKELYHOOD THAT A DRIVER WILL NOTICE A CERTAIN TARGET AT A GIVEN DISTANCE AGAINST A CERTAIN BACKGROUND Ref. NHTSA Driver Performance Data Book

Contrast The ratio of luminance from a target to the luminance from the target’s surroundings

Contrast The ratio of luminance from a target to the luminance from the target’s surroundings

Contrast The ratio of luminance from a target to the luminance from the target’s surroundings

Contrast The ratio of luminance from a target to the luminance from the target’s surroundings

FMCSA Recognizes benefits and requires a retrofit regulation: Retroreflective Sheeting on Commercial Motor Vehicles Duty of Motor Carriers: 49 CFR §393.13. Retroreflective sheeting and reflex reflectors, requirements for semitrailers and trailers manufactured before December 1, 1993. Motor carriers operating trailers, other than container chassis (as defined in §393.5), have until June 1, 2001, to comply with the requirements of this section. Motor carriers operating container chassis had until December 1, 2001,

Conspicuity Issues Passenger vehicle vs Conspicuity Issues Passenger vehicle vs. semi trailer Under ride crashes (This crash occurred before sunrise)

David Stopper Measuring Reflectance with Gamma Scientific Model 922 Retroreflectance Meter Fatal Night Trailer Under Ride Crash

RETROREFLECTIVE MATERIAL VS REFLEX REFLECTOR Refelex reflector – plastic prism Reflex reflector – fades rapidly to observer at approximately 20 – 23 degree angle to light source / observer Retro reflective material wider angularity – drops 50% or more at 45 degree angle to light source / observer Both dependant on radiance or luminous intensity (brightness) of light source.

Model 922 Retroreflective Meter

Retroreflective Materials Many motor carriers combine reflective materials with advertising as well as the required red/white pattern retroreflective tape

CONSPICUITY A MEASURE OF THE LIKELYHOOD THAT A DRIVER WILL NOTICE A CERTAIN TARGET AT A GIVEN DISTANCE AGAINST A CERTAIN BACKGROUND Well maintained retroreflective tape improves safety and has saved lives

For more information on investigations or training: David A. Stopper Juli R. Stopper Stopper & Associates, LLC Motor Carrier Safety – Highway Collision Research & Reconstruction Washington, DC Area Office 6200 Evergreen Mountain Road Broad Run, VA 20137 540-347-0702 Fax 540-347-0763 Midwest & Southwest Operations – (Direct inquires to VA Office) Texas & Pacific Railroad Building 221 W. Lancaster Avenue Suite 11008 Fort Worth, TX 76102 e-mail Mobile: stopperBUS@aol.com Office: stopperTRUCKS@aol.com