Heavy Truck ECM Testing

Last week we began field testing for our latest ECM-related research project. Over the last decade, researchers and engineers have conducted a great deal of testing to validate data from the Event Data Recorders (EDRs) in heavy vehicles. Our goal is to build on this body of knowledge and learn more about how these devices capture data under the extreme circumstances that are often present in a crash. Scientifically, what we are trying to do is perform research that is "ecologically valid." In other words, research that very closely mimics what happens to the ECM in the environment we're interested in: the crash itself.

Since we can't simply go out and crash a lot of trucks (we've conducted over 80 controlled tests so far--going back to our initial testing in Hattiesburg, MS, in March), it has taken some creativity and skill! For this, we're indebted to the fine engineers and forensic scientists who are working on the project with MSC.

With the contributions of Tim Cheek (Delta[v] Forensic Engineers), Tim Austin (Wisconsin State Patrol) and Ben Smith (ASI Investigations), and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, we were able to test Mack and Cummins ECMs last week. Our testing will continue in September in Wisconsin, where our goal is to finish the testing.

Results from CVSA's Roadcheck 2009

On June 2-4, 2009, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) conducted Roadcheck 2009. According to the CVSA, the yearly Roadcheck program "is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial vehicles in the world, with approximately 14 trucks or buses being inspected, on average, every minute..." Click here to read CVSA's description of the Roadcheck program.

According to the National Safety Council, this year's program inspected 72,782 trucks in three days! CVSA reports that 57,013 of these inspections were NAS Level 1 Inspections. (Level 1 inspections are the most thorough or detailed of the North American Standard Inspections).

The results of these inspections are something that the trucking industry can really be proud of:

• 95.7% of drivers were in compliance with regulations (the highest score ever).
• 77.8% of vehicles were in compliance with the regulations (a 20.4% increase from 2008).
• The number of NAS Level 1 Inspections that were conducted increased by 8.9%

You can read the CVSA's press release on Roadcheck 2009 here.

In the June 2009 MSC Newsletter, we asked readers why they felt trucking fatalities had reached their lowest levels in history. The majority (62%) felt that the reduction was mostly due to fewer miles driven in a slow economy. Maybe we were wrong?

Regardless, CONGRATULATIONS are due to the North American trucking industry, and THANKS to the men and women in Law Enforcement who made the Roadcheck happen!

Rec-Tec Stays on the Cutting Edge

Less than one week after NHTSA announced a new Final Rule that will likely increase the number of air disc brake systems on US highways, Rec-Tec Professional Accident Reconstruction software released an upgrade that allows for fairly simple analysis of truck stopping distance with air disc brakes.

But don't be fooled by the promptness with which Mr. Bonnett has released his latest improvement: the new "Disc/S-Cam III Air Brake" module was being researched and designed for over a year. Both government and private sector engineers & investigators (including MSC) had their opportunity to evaluate it or contribute to it, and on 01 August 09, Rec-Tec released the product.

Even more impressive is the fact that this new module has the capability to analyze heavy truck ABS systems. It allows the user to input the locations of ABS sensors and tell it which axles are linked by which sensors. By selecting the "Automatic ABS Computations" button, the program will vary air pressure as it determines a wheel (or series of connected wheels) is reaching lock-up.

At this point, Rec-Tec is no longer simply a "plug and chug" calculator with some built-in formulas. It's an increasingly robust simulation program, especially in the Heavy Truck Module series.