Accident Investigation Made Easy
Page 60
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Mr. S. F. Kneller, of B.R.S., Devises Standard Form of Inquiry into Any Accident TO help depot superintendents to discover the causes of accidents, Mr. S. F. Kneller, British Road Services' deputy chief officer (insurance and claims), has devised a questionnaire to cover every kind of mishap.
"Get all the facts just before and at the moment the accident happened," says Mr. Kneller. "Then decide whether your driver did everything reasonably possible to avoid the accident. Help him to discover its basic cause. Don't confuse the issue by trying to judge the other person.
"Make the prevailing attitude of every accident investigation one of co-operation and mutual assistance.
Whenever you tell a driver his accident was avoidable, show him exactly where he fell down on the job and how he should drive in the future to avoid similar accidents."
The questions that the driver should be asked are:—
JUNCTION ACCIDENTS (1) Did you approach the junction at a speed safe for the conditions? (2) Were you prepared to stop before entering the junction and did you stop if it was necessary, regardless of right-of-way? (3) At a blind corner did you pull out slowly, ready to apply your brakes Immediately? (4) Did you make sure the other fellow would stop for a "Stop" sign or red light? (5) Did you obey all traffic signs? (6) Were you alert for the manteuvres of other vehicles by allowing sufficient clearance for them?
(7) Did you signal well in advance of your change in direction? (8) Did you avoid overtaking and passing a vehicle at the junction?
REVERSING ACCIDENTS
(1) Was it necessary to reverse? (a) Did -you have to park so close to the vehicle ahead that you had to reverse when leaving the parking space? (I?) Was it necessary for you to have driven into the narrow street, dead-end, alley or carriageway from which you were reversing?
(2) If you could not see clearly where you were reversing, (a) Did you try to get someone to guide you? If so, did you jeep him insight at all times so that you could he guided by hand signals? (b) Did you look all around your vehicle before getting in? (c) Did you reverse immediately after looking? (d) Did you keep tapping your hooter as you reversed? (e) Did you continue to look to the rear as you reversed without depending on your mirror? (f) Did you try to see a reflection of the area behind your vehicle in the shop windows? (g) If the reversing distance was long, did you stop, get out, and look occasionally? (3) Were you reversing very slowly? (4) Did you judge your reversing clearance accurately?
" HIT-OTHER-IN-REAR " ACCIDENTS
(I) Were you keeping a safe following 'distance? (See stopping-distance table in the new Highway Code).
(2) If the road was wet or slippery, did you leave at least twice the safe following distance?
826 (3) Were you keeping your eyes and mind ahead of the vehicle ahead?
(4) Did you approach the " green " traffic light cautiously, expecting the driver ahead to stop suddenly on the " change " signal?
(5) Did you keep from skidding?
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS (1) Did you have your vehicle under complete control and were you prepared to stop if necessary, to give way to the pedestrian?
(2) Were you expecting the unexpected?
(3) Were you driving at a safe distance from parked vehicles to allow for pedestrians stepping out from behind them?
(4) Did you wait for pedestrian traffic to clear the roadway after the signal changed to green?
(5) Were you especially on the alert for passengers alighting from a vehicle and stepping into your path?
(6) Were you driving with special care when approaching a Zebra crossing?
" PULLING-FROM-KERR " ACCIDENTS (1) Did you look to the rear and front for overtaking and approaching traffic immediately before starting to pull out?
(2) Did you look back rather than depend on your mirror?
(3) Did you signal before pulling from the kerb?
(4) Did you start out only when your action would not require other traffic to change its speed and direction to avoid you?
(5) Did you continue to glance back as you pulled out?
PASSING ACCIDENTS
(1) Did you refrain from passing on "bills, on curves, at junctions, at pedestrian crossings, or where you were unable to see ahead a safe passing distance?
(2) Did you look behind before passing, signal following traffic by hand or directional signal, and vehicle ahead with hooter?
(3) Did you make sure there was nothing ahead of the vehicle to cause the driver in front to pull out?
(4) Did you return to your correct traffic lane promptly with adequate clearance between your vehicle and the vehicle just overtaken?
(5) Was other traffic able to continue its speed and direction? SKIDDING ACCIDENTS
(I) Were you travelling at a speed safe for the conditions of weather and road?
(2) Were you alert for slippery leaves, or snow melting in the sun and freezing in the shade?
(3) Were you expecting a slippery surface at traffic signals or " Stop " signs?
(4) When beginning to skid, did you turn in the direction the rear end swung, did you leave the clutch engaged and did you apply the brakes by a succession of light applications?
PARKING ACCIDENTS Runaway Vehicle (I) Was your parking brake on? (2) Were your front wheels in contact with the kerb: (a) turned in. if headed downhill; (b) turned out if headed uphill? (3) Did you leave your vehicle in the lowest gear?
(4) If the hill was very steep and did not have a kerb, (a) was it necessary to park on the hill? (b) Did you place a chock under the wheels?
Hit when Parked (I) Were you parked on the proper side of the road?
(2) Were you parked with both front and rear wheels near the kerb?
(3) Was it necessary for you to park near a junction?
(4) Did you have to park on the curve, or just below the crest of the hill? If so, did you take adequate steps to warn other traffic?
ACCIDENTS NOT LISTED UNDER ANY OTHER TYPE
(1) Could you have done anything to avoid the accident?
(2) Was your speed safe for the conditions?
..(3) Did you obey all traffic regulations? (4) Was your vehicle under complete control?
POINTS TO RE CONSIDERED IN FINAL SUMMING UP
(1) Vehicle Defect: Did a defective condition of our vehicle contribute to the accident? If so, had our driver reported the defect as soon as it developed? If so, was he exercising due care in driving the vehicle in its alleged defective condition at the time of the accident?
(2) Driver Attitude: Does he have a proper attitude towards his work?
(3) Judgment : Did he show good judgment?
(4) Haste: Was he going too fast for the conditions?
(5) Fatigue: Is he getting sufficient rest when off his job? (6) Physical Fitness: Does he have any physical weakness that may .have contributed to the accident? Does he feel fully fit? Remember, for example, a man with a bad cold will react much slower in an emergency than a man who is fit.
(7) Worry: Are financial or family problems distracting his attention from the job of driving?