Expert Witness Journal Issue 63 October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 18
Unseen Danger: How Forensic Collision
Analysis Helped Demonstrate the
Limits of Driver Awareness in a
Motorway Collision Case
This case study is drawn from a recent webinar delivered by Chris Goddard, Forensic Collision
Consultant at Forensic Access, exploring how forensic collision investigation can uncover
vital evidence in complex road tra昀케c cases.
Forensic collision investigation is the scienti昀椀c
process of reconstructing road tra昀케c incidents to
establish how and why they occurred. By applying
principles of physics, mathematics, engineering,
and human factors, collision investigators provide
the courts with clear, impartial analysis that helps
inform decision-making.
circumstances fairly and ultimately played a key role
in the outcome.
Background:
The incident took place on a motorway when a car,
having joined from a slip road, merged into the main
carriageway alongside an HGV. The slip road formed
a new lane, and under normal circumstances, the
car would have remained safely in this lane as both
vehicles continued travelling at motorway speeds.
However, impact marks later revealed that both the
car and the HGV had deviated slightly from their
original positions. The car made contact with the
side of the HGV, causing the car to spin across the
motorway into the path of a second HGV, resulting
in a signi昀椀cant secondary collision.
In cases involving commercial vehicles, such as
Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), the stakes can be
particularly high. These vehicles present unique
challenges, including limited visibility, large blind
spots, and complex vehicle dynamics. Witness
accounts alone are often unreliable, especially when
incidents unfold quickly on busy roads. Forensic
collision investigators play a vital role in these
situations by providing accurate, objective insights
that help courts understand the true sequence of
events.
The initial contact between the car and the 昀椀rst
HGV was so minor that the prosecution and defence
agreed the HGV driver would not have been aware
of it. The prosecution nonetheless argued that the
HGV driver had failed to exercise due care and
attention.
This case involved a motorway collision between an
HGV and a car, leading to the HGV being prosecuted
for driving without due care and attention. The
expert investigation helped the court assess the
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
16
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2025
