Accident reconstruction engineers and specialists who analyze vehicle collisions, pedestrian incidents, and transportation accidents using physics-based methods and simulation.
These engineers apply physics and mathematics to determine how and why a crash occurred, far beyond what a police report captures.
Accident reconstruction experts examine physical evidence (tire marks, gouge patterns, vehicle crush profiles, roadway geometry, and sight lines) to calculate vehicle speeds, impact angles, and positions at critical moments before, during, and after a collision.
Event data recorders (EDRs), commonly called vehicle black boxes, capture pre-crash speed, throttle position, brake application, steering input, and seatbelt status. ADAS logs from newer vehicles can reveal whether lane-departure warnings or automatic emergency braking activated. Reconstructionists use specialized tools to download and interpret this data alongside physical evidence.
The deliverable typically includes a detailed written report with scaled diagrams, speed calculations, visibility analyses, and sometimes 3D simulations or animations. These materials are built for mediation, arbitration, or trial, and the expert must defend every assumption under cross-examination.
Reconstruction adds the most value when liability is disputed, the mechanism of injury is contested, or crash severity is questioned.
The quality of reconstruction experts varies significantly. Here are the key indicators of competence.
ACTAR (Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction) tests professionals through a rigorous exam covering physics, photogrammetry, vehicle dynamics, and occupant kinematics. Courts and opposing counsel routinely inquire about ACTAR status, and accredited experts are less vulnerable to Daubert or Frye challenges. The credential provides immediate credibility and simplifies qualification arguments.
As soon as possible. Tire marks fade, debris is cleared, and vehicles are often repaired or scrapped within weeks. EDR data can be overwritten by subsequent driving events. Ideally, retain a reconstructionist within days of the incident. In fatality or catastrophic injury cases, same-week retention is strongly recommended.
The most valuable items include the police crash report, scene and vehicle photographs, the vehicles themselves, EDR data, surveillance or dashcam video, witness statements, medical records, and traffic signal timing data. The expert will also conduct their own scene inspection when possible.
Yes, though the analysis may be more limited. The expert relies on damage photographs, the police report, scene evidence, and any EDR data downloaded before disposal. Detailed photos showing crush depth from multiple angles are particularly important. Early retention matters because more available evidence produces a stronger reconstruction.
A police report is prepared at the scene under time pressure, documenting observable facts and a preliminary opinion. A reconstruction is a detailed engineering analysis applying physics and mathematics to determine speeds, forces, timing, and causation. Reconstructionists may spend dozens or hundreds of hours on work that confirms — or entirely contradicts — the police report's conclusions.
ATA Associates was founded in 1974 by former NASA engineer Robert Swint and is based in Houston, Texas. With over 50 years of experience and involvement in more than 6,000 cases, the firm has become one of the longest-operating accident reconstruction and forensic engineering practices in the state.
Boster, Kobayashi & Associates has been reconstructing accidents since 1967 and has worked on over 30,000 cases with testimony in more than 1,300 trials. The firm is staffed by engineers and scientists who consult on vehicular accident reconstruction, biomechanics, human factors, and traffic engineering.
DELTA |v| Forensic Engineering operates from five regional offices across the United States, bringing together specialists in accident reconstruction, biomechanics, event data recorders, and digital media. The firm's experts respond quickly to incident scenes while maintaining a national presence for high-profile cases.
Evidence Solutions is a forensics and expert witness firm based in Tucson, Arizona, founded by Scott Greene, who has over 42 years of experience analyzing electronic and digital evidence in legal matters. The firm provides ACTAR-certified reconstruction experts along with specialized digital evidence analysis from vehicle black boxes and electronic logging devices.
Kineticorp was founded in 2005 in Greenwood Village, Colorado and is now part of J.S. Held. The firm's accident reconstruction experts have testified in more than 100 jury trials across the United States, specializing in advanced reconstruction, forensic engineering, and 3D visualization of crash events.
McDowell Owens Engineering has provided forensic engineering and accident reconstruction services since 1986, with involvement in over 20,000 cases. The firm uses 3D scanning and animation technology to replicate accident scenes and illustrate how collisions occurred for use in litigation.
Rimkus is a global forensic engineering and technical consulting firm established in 1983, with over 110 offices in 10 countries and local teams in all 50 U.S. states. Their accident reconstruction practice includes vehicle crash analysis, biomechanical assessment, and construction accident investigation.
Robson Forensic is an employee-owned forensic engineering firm headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with multiple offices nationwide. Their crash practice employs automotive engineers with longstanding careers in the industry, backed by a fully equipped mechanical testing laboratory that can accommodate evidence as large as complete vehicles.
SE Forensic is a forensic engineering firm with offices in Tallahassee and Sarasota, Florida, serving the southeastern United States. Led by Chase T. Bryant, P.E., the firm specializes in motor vehicle accident reconstruction, applying engineering principles and physical evidence analysis to determine crash causation.
Stephen Benanti is a traffic accident reconstruction specialist based in Groveland, Massachusetts, with over 30 years of experience. Before entering private practice, he served 20 years with the Massachusetts State Police, retiring as Lieutenant and Commanding Officer of the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section.