1

CollisionReview
MadisonStreetandEmeraldStreet
Riverside,California
May13,2012
PresentedbyOfficerGregMatthews
CollisionReconstructionOfficer,7years
TrafficAccidentInvestigator,5years
MajorAccidentInvestigationTeam(MAIT),13years
PoliceOfficer,18years
POSTtrainingincludesBasic,Intermediate,andAdvancedCollision
Investigation,Reconstruction,Vehiclevs PedestrianReconstruction,
SpeedDeterminationfromCrushAnalysis,FieldEvidenceTechnician
MemberoftheSouthwestAssociationofTechnicalAccident
InvestigatorsandtheCaliforniaAssociationofAccident
ReconstructionSpecialist
MemberofteststaffatSATAIvehiclevs pedestriancrashtests,17
stagedcollisions,Anaheim,California(2007)
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PartySummary
Party#1: MichaelBoulerice,28years
RiversidePoliceOfficer,5years
Driver,2009FordCrownVictoria
Party#2: IsabelPablo,57years
3yearsintheUnitedStates
Deceased
Pedestrian
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CollisionSummary
OfficerBoulericewasdrivingNorthonMadisonSt,towardsEmeraldSt
atapproximately7:49am.
Hisvehiclewastravelingat40MPH.
Ms.PablocrossedintothestreetinfrontofOfficerBoulerices vehicle
fromthesoutheastcornerofMadisonandEmerald,outsideofthe
markedcrosswalk.Becauseofvisualimpedements alongtheeastside
ofthestreet,OfficerBoulericecouldnotseePablountilshehadwalked
almost20feetintothestreet.
OfficerBoulericewasunabletostophisvehiclebeforeitstruckPablo.
Ms.Pablodiedasaresultofinjuriessustainedinthecollision.
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Considerations
AccordingtoSergeantBSmith(RPD),OfficerBoulericetold
him,Ididntevenseeher.IwaslookingdownatmyMDC.
Apartiallytypedmessage(mad/)wasontheMDCscreen.
ThepostedspeedlimitonMadisonStis35MPH.
Phone/TextMessages
AsearchwarrantwasservedonOfficerBoulerices
cellphonerecords.
Warrantcoveredonehourbeforeandonehour
aftercollision.
Nocallsortextssentorreceivedbeforecollision.
Twocallswerereceivedandonemadeinthehour
afterthecollision.
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Witnesses
#1RG
StoppedhisvehicleS/BMadisontoallowPablotocrossthestreet.
NoddedPablotostarttocross.
Sawpolicevehicleapproaching,realizedtheofficerdidnotseePablo.
HonkedhisvehicleshorninanattempttowarnPablo.
Lookedawayfromthecollision(didnotseeimpact).
Unabletoestimatethevehiclesspeedorseethevehiclesdriver.
Witnesses
#2MD
Walkingonchurchpropertynearnorthwestcorner.
SawPablopriortocollision,onlynotedhermannerofclothing.
Didnotseethepolicecarapproaching.
SawPablocometorestinthestreet,butdidNOTseethecollision.
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Witnesses
#3OfficerNeelyNakamura,RiversidePoliceDepartment
Approximately100yardsbehindOfficerBoulericeonMadisonSt.
Estimatedbothvehiclesspeedatapproximately40MPH.
SawBoulerices policecarbrakeandswervesuddenlytotheleft.
Heardcollisionbutdidnotseeit.
DidnotseePablountilafterexitinghervehicle.
Witnesses
Video:OfficerNakamurasdashcam
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Witnesses
Otherpeoplewerecontactedatthescene,butitwas
determinedthattheydidntactuallyseethecollision,oronlysaw
theaftermath.
Despitepublishingapressreleasewithapleaforfurther
witnesses,nootherwitnessestothecollisionwerefound.
Threewitnesseswereunaccountedfor:
Twowomenwerestandingatthesouthwestcorner,
reportedlysellingTupperwaretochurchgoers.
Onemanwassittingonthecurbonthenortheastcorner.
Severaladditionalcontactswereattemptedinthearea,butno
oneadmittedtoseeinganything.
SpeedDetermination
Thisisauniquecase.
Videointhepolicecar
atthelibrary
atthepublicutilitiesbuilding
Havingthesamecarfortesting
atthesamelocationasthecollision.
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SpeedDetermination
OfficerBoulerices policecarwasequippedwithavideo
recordingsystem,calledCOBAN.
Anexpertfromanoutsideagencyaddeda1/1000
th
ofa
secondtimestamptothevideo.
Identificationofknownroadwayfeaturesallowedan
accuratedeterminationofthevehiclesspeedjustpriorto
impact.
SpeedDetermination
Step1 Aphysicalfeatureontheroadwaywasidentified:a
spotwheretheasphalthasbeenrepairedandrepatched.
Theexacttimeoftheframeisrecorded(00:16.083sec).
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SpeedDetermination
Step2 Asecondphysicalfeatureontheroadwaywasidentified:
thebottomofthePEDintersectsthetopofthecarspushbar.
Theexacttimeofthesecondframeisrecorded(00:18.218sec).
SpeedDetermination
Thetworoadwayfeaturesarelocatedatthesceneandthe
distancebetweenthetwomeasured.
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SpeedDetermination
Theamountoftimeittakesthecartotravelfromone
referencepointtothenextiscalculated:
Reftime#2 18.218
Reftime#1 16.083
Elapsedtime 2.135sec.
SpeedDetermination
FinalStep Calculatethevehiclesspeedusingthe
constantvelocityformula:
: =
J
t
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SpeedDetermination
FinalStep Calculatethevehiclesspeedusingthe
constantvelocityformula:
d =distance
: =
12S.S
t
: =
J
t
SpeedDetermination
FinalStep Calculatethevehiclesspeedusingthe
constantvelocityformula:
t =time
: =
12S.S
2.1SS
: =
12S.S
t
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SpeedDetermination
FinalStep Calculatethevehiclesspeedusingthe
constantvelocityformula:
: =
12S.S
2.1SS
: = S8.6 cct pcr scconJ
or
4u milcs pcr bour
SpeedVerification
OfficerBoulerices vehiclewasequippedwithaGPSdevice.
Thedevicereportsthevehiclesspeed,location,and
headingtotheDispatchCenterapproximatelyevery1/10
th
ofamile.
Thereisanaccuracyofapproximately+/2.27milesperhour.
Thedevicerecordedaspeedof41milesperhour,
approximately115feetsouthoftheimpactarea.
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PedestrianEquations
Equationsbasedonstudiesofreportedvehicleversus
pedestriancollisions.
Theyprovideanestimateofthevehiclesspeedatthe
momentofimpact.
Theyusuallyprovidearangeofspeeds andnotanexact
answer.
Theformulaisbasedonthedistancefromwheretheimpact
occurredtothepedestriansrestingplace.
Searl MinimumSpeed
d
t
= Throw Distance f = coefficient of friction v = velocity
d
t
= 62.7 f = 0.66 (recommended by Searl)
:
mn
=
2gJ
1 +
2
:
mn
=
2 (u.66)(S2.2)(62.7)
1+.66
2
:
mn
= 18S6.S672
:
mn
= 4S.u8 ps or 29. 37 mph
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Searl MaximumSpeed
d
t
= Throw Distance f = coefficient of friction v = velocity
d
t
= 62.7 f = 0.66 (recommended by Searl)
:
mux
= 2gJ
:
mux
= 2 .66 S2.2 62.7
:
mux
= 266S.uuu8
:
mux
= S1.62 ps ur 35. 19 mph
Collins
d
t
= Throw Distance f = coefficient of friction v = velocity
d
t
= 62.7 f = 0.80 (recommended by Collins) h=2.8
o =
1
Su
=
1
Su (.8)
=
1
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= .u4166667
b =
b
2.7S
=
2.8
2.7S
=
1.67SS
2.7S
= .6129
c = -J
t
= -62.7
-b _ b
2
- 4oc
2o
-.6129 _ .6129
2
-(4)(.u4166667)(-62.7)
2 (.u4166667)
+ = 32. 1 MPH
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SlidetoStop
a = acceleration rate f = friction g = gravityd = distance
v
o
= original velocity v
f
= final velocity
f = 0.85 g = 32.2 fps
2
d = 18.53 v
o
= 58.66fps
-o = g = .8S S2.2 = -27.S7ps
2
:
]
= :
o
2
+2oJ
S8.66
2
+(2)(-27.S7)(18.SS)
:
]
= 49.26 ps or 33. 58 mph
SpeedVerification
Pedestrianimpactcalculationsdeterminedaspeedbetween
29and35milesperhouratimpact.
Slidetostopcalculations,withprebrakingspeedof40
milesperhour,determinedthevehiclesspeedatimpactto
beapproximately33milesperhour.
Pedestrianimpactandslidetostopcalculationsverify
initialspeeddeterminationof40milesperhour.
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DriversPointofView
LandscapingandaparkedvehiclemadeitimpossibleforBoulericetosee
Pablountilshewalkedatleast18feetintotheroadway.
PedestrianPointofView
However,Pablowouldhavebeenabletoclearlyseetheapproachingpolicecarwhen
shewas16feetintotheroadway,still2.8secondsand11.4feetawayfromimpact.
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VisualConspicuity
Anobjectsvisualconspicuityisasubjective
measurementofitsabilitytostandoutto,or
attracttheattentionof,theviewer.
Anobjectisnotconspicuousperse,itisonly
conspicuouswhenitissufficientlydifferentfromits
surroundings.
Weseeobjects,notbecauseoftheirabsolute
brightness,butbytheircontrastwiththe
background.
VisualConspicuity
WitnessMDnotedPablosclothingastypically
Guatemalan:whiteandgreysweater,darkergreyskirt.
Pablostraditionalclothingprovidedlowcontrasttohervisiblebackground,
effectivelycamouflagingher,untilshecrossedinfrontofawhitevan.
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VisualConspicuity
Otherfactorswithinthevehiclealsoservetoreducethevisualconspicuityof
externalitems,astheydistracttheeyebyprovidingmorenoisetothescene.
Perception&Reaction
Perceptionandreactiontimeisthattimeperiod
duringwhichadriverseesanobject,identifiesitas
ahazard,decidesonhowtoreacttothehazard,
andthenphysicallyreactstothehazard.
Theabilityofthedrivertoseesomethingdoesnot
meanthatithasimmediatelybeenseen
(perceived)bythedriver.
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Perception&Reaction
Perception
Somethingbecomesvisibletothedriver.
Thedriverseestheitem.
Thedriverdeterminesiftheitemisathreat.
Reaction
Thedriverdecidestodosomething.
Thedriverdoessomething.
PerceptionandReaction
P&Rtimeof1.5secondshasbeenusedinreconstructionin
pastyears.Thistimeestimategoesbacktothe1960sor
earlier.
Notrealistic studieswereconductedundercontrolled
conditionswithsubjectswhoknewtheywerebeingtested.
Morerecentstudieshaveshownthat1.5secondsis
unreasonableinurbanenvironmentsandsuggestreal
worldurbandrivingP&Rtimesof2.5secondsorgreater*.
*SocietyofAutomotiveEngineerstechnicalpaper#890732,PerceptionandReactionTime
ValuesforAccidentReconstruction(Sens,M.,Cheng,P.,Wiechel,J.,andGuenther,D.)
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PerceptionandReaction
PablofirstbecamevisibletoBoulericewhenshewalkedoutfrombehindthe
landscapingandpassedinfrontofawhitevan,providingsufficientcontrastto
becomeconspicuousincomparisontotheurbanbackground(#1)
Boulericebeganbrakingapproximately1.69secondsafterPablo
becamevisible(#2).
Photo1 Firstclearlyvisible Photo2 Vehiclebeginsbraking
PerceptionandReaction
Whenapedestrianenterstheroadway,the
expectationistoseethemwalkfromthesidewalk.
VisualimpedimentsandPabloslowvisual
conspicuitycausedBoulericenottoperceivePablo
untilshewasalmost20feetintothestreet,
possiblyexplainingwhysheseemedtojustappear
intheroadwayinfrontofhiscar.
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PerceptionandReaction
EvenifBoulericehadbeendriving35MPH,hestillwouldhavebeenunable
tostopbeforecollidingwithPablo.
PerceptionandReaction
At40MPH,Boulericewouldhavetoperceiveandreactto
Pablospresencein0.94secondsorlessinordertoavoid
thecollision.
At35MPH,Boulerice wouldhavetoperceiveandreact
toPablospresencein1.3secondsorlessinorderto
avoidthecollision.
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PabloLineofSight
4feetfromthecurb,23.4totheAOI,theparkedtruckmadeitimpossibleforPablo
orBoulericetoseetheothersapproach.Pablocouldonlysee125feettothesouth,
whilethepolicecarwasstill364feetaway.
PabloLineofSight
10feetfromthecurb,17.4totheAOI,theparkedtruckstillmadeitimpossiblefor
PabloorBoulericetoseetheothersapproach.Pablocouldonlysee179feettothe
south,whilethepolicecarwasstill275feetaway.
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PabloLineofSight
16feetfromthecurb,11.4totheAOI,visualimpedimentsmadeitimpossiblefor
BoulericetoseePablosapproach.However,Pablocouldseeover700feettothe
south,whilethepolicecarwasonly186feetaway.
PabloLineofSight
18feetfromthecurb,approximately8totheAOI,Pablobecamevisibleto
Boulerice.Withapproximately2secondslefttoimpact,Pablocouldhaveeasily
stoppedandavoidedthecollision.
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TheCrosswalk
Largeyellowsignsservetodrawapproachingmotoristsattentiontothe
markedcrosswalk.Thesignsalsoservetoindicatetothepedestrianthat
theyshouldcrossatthemarkedcrosswalks.
TheCrosswalk
CaliforniaVehicleCode275."Crosswalk"iseither:(a)Thatportionofaroadwayincludedwithinthe
prolongationorconnectionoftheboundarylinesofsidewalksatintersectionswheretheintersecting
roadwaysmeetatapproximatelyrightangles,excepttheprolongationofsuchlinesfromanalleyacross
astreet.
(b)Anyportionofaroadwaydistinctlyindicatedforpedestriancrossingbylinesorothermarkingson
thesurface.
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TheCrosswalk
ExtensionofthesidewalkwestfromthesoutheastcornerofMadisonandEmeraldshowsthat
thepathisinterruptedbyaconcreteislandplanter.
TheCrosswalk
IfPablohadcrossedinthemarkedcrosswalk,thecollision
mostlikelywouldnothaveoccurred.
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Conclusions
Pablocrossedthestreetatalocationthatconcealedherpresence
untilshewasalmost20feetintotheroadway.
OfficerBoulerices perceptionofPabloandreactiontoher
presencewereconsistentwithanormalpersonundersimilar
conditions.
OfficerBoulerices statementtoSergeantSmiththathedidnot
seePablowasinconsistentwithhisreactiontoherpresence.
Noneofthewitnesseswereabletoestimatethepolicecars
speedpriortoimpact.
OfficerBoulericewasdriving40milesperhour.
OfficerBoulericewouldnothavebeenabletostopintimeto
avoidPabloevenifhehadbeendrivingatthepostedspeedlimit
of35MPH,insteadof40MPH.
CaliforniaVehicleCode
21950.(a)Thedriverofavehicleshallyieldtherightofwaytoa
pedestriancrossingtheroadwaywithinanymarkedcrosswalkorwithin
anyunmarkedcrosswalkatanintersection,exceptasotherwiseprovided
inthischapter.
(b)Thissectiondoesnotrelieveapedestrianfromthedutyofusingdue
careforhisorhersafety.Nopedestrianmaysuddenlyleaveacurbor
otherplaceofsafetyandwalkorrunintothepathofavehicle thatisso
closeastoconstituteanimmediatehazard.Nopedestrianmay
unnecessarilystopordelaytrafficwhileinamarkedorunmarked
crosswalk.
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CaliforniaVehicleCode
21954.(a)Everypedestrianuponaroadwayatanypointotherthanwithin
amarkedcrosswalkorwithinanunmarkedcrosswalkatanintersection
shallyieldtherightofwaytoallvehiclesupontheroadwaysonearasto
constituteanimmediatehazard.
(b)Theprovisionsofthissectionshallnotrelievethedriverofavehicle
fromthedutytoexerciseduecareforthesafetyofanypedestrianupona
roadway.
PedestrianCollisionStats
23FatalPedestrianCollisionssince2007
15(65%)PedestrianatFaultcollisions
5(22%)DriveratFaultcollisions
Noprosecutionbroughtagainstthedriver
3(13%)DriveratFaultcollisions(Charges)
2FelonyDUIwithHitandRun
1Misdemeanorvehicularmanslaughter
77%offatalpedestriancollisionsdonotresultin
prosecutionagainstthedriver.
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