20286

15-Oct-12
1 of 7

POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH

INVESTIGATION
Identify and report on causative and/or
related events in a traffic crash

level:

credit:

20

planned review date:

April 2006

sub-field:

Police

purpose:

This unit standard is intended for sworn or warranted police

officers. People credited with this unit standard are able to:
produce a sketch scene plan; determine the speed and
actions of vehicles involved in a crash; identify the dynamics
involved in a vehicle crash; identify types and causes of
personal injury sustained by participants in a vehicle crash;
and identify factors relating to behaviour/actions of road
users in a vehicle crash.

entry information:

Recommended: Unit 2784, Create and use a simple

computer spreadsheet to solve a problem; Unit 3491, Write a
report; Unit 5236, Use Pythagoras Theorem and
trigonometry to solve problems involving right angled
triangles; Unit 5246, Manipulate algebraic expressions and
use algebraic methods to solve problems; and Unit 5251,
Solve problems modelled by triangles; or demonstrate
equivalent knowledge and skills.

accreditation option:

Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.

moderation option:

A centrally established and directed national moderation

system has been set up by The Skills Organisation.

special notes:

Definitions
Workplace procedures refers to documented
procedures specific to the police, which set out the
quality management requirements for the business
practice and activities of that organisation.
Yaw means the motion of a car that is both sliding and
rotating simultaneously.

Police general instructions and best practice guides and

codes of conduct relating to traffic crash reporting,

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012

20286
15-Oct-12
2 of 7

POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH

INVESTIGATION
Identify and report on causative and/or
related events in a traffic crash

investigation and forensic mapping apply to this unit

standard.
3

Legislation applying to this unit standard may include

but is not limited to the Cadastral Survey Act 2002,
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Police Act
1958, Transit New Zealand Act 1989, Trespass Act
1980, and all regulations related to these acts.

Unit 20281, Demonstrate knowledge of forensic

mapping details the work discipline of forensic mapping
that is a complimentary study to traffic crash
investigation. As these two disciplines work closely
together it is recommended that candidates seeking
credit for this unit standard also seek credit for unit
standard 20281.

Traffic crash investigation techniques are found in the

following textbooks but may be found in other texts:
Traffic Collision Investigation. Published by
Northwestern University Center for Public Safety,
Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Traffic Accident Reconstruction. Published by
Northwestern University Center for Public Safety,
Evanston, Illinois, USA.

Evidence may be collected by, but is not necessarily

restricted to any of the following means:
photography, (digital or emulsion based),
sketch plans,
master table of exhibits,
dictaphone recordings,
notebooks,
microscopic examination,
electronic distance measuring devices (EDM).

Additional specialist vehicle examination may be

provided by a vehicle inspector or low volume vehicle
certifier.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012

20286
15-Oct-12
3 of 7

POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH

INVESTIGATION
Identify and report on causative and/or
related events in a traffic crash

Elements and Performance Criteria

element 1
Produce a sketch scene plan.
performance criteria
1.1

Impact area is identified and recorded.

1.2

Sketch scene plan is produced according to workplace procedures.

element 2
Determine the speed and actions of vehicles involved in a crash.
Range:

vehicle types may include but are not limited to truck, car, motorcycle, bicycle,
trailers drawn by any of these vehicles;
actions include but are not limited to falls, flips, vaults, yaws, right-angled
momentum.

performance criteria
2.1

Friction, factors and types are determined and where appropriate measured in
accordance with police best practice guides.
Range:

2.2

may include but is not limited to rolling, static, dynamic friction.

Speed change from tyre friction marks is derived in accordance with police best
practice guides.
Range:

tyre friction marks may include but are not limited to single or
multi wheel marks, marks created by a vehicle moving in a straight
line or rotating while moving.

2.3

Distances required to change speed are determined.

2.4

Vehicle speeds and speed values are determined where wheels are being
braked with differing amounts of force and different surfaces are being crossed.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012

20286
15-Oct-12
4 of 7

POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH

INVESTIGATION
Identify and report on causative and/or
related events in a traffic crash

Range:

2.5

surface type may include but is not limited to seal, gravel,

concrete, slick and rough bitumen, grass, ice, snow or other
surface type.

Radius of a curve and related critical curve speed is determined.

Range:

road curves, tyre friction marks denoting a vehicle rotating while

sliding in a circular arc.

2.6

Vehicle speeds are calculated using kinetic energy.

2.7

Data from a forensic plan or crime scene measurements are used to derive the
speed that a vehicle requires to travel the distance recorded while vaulting,
flipping or falling.

2.8

Motorcycle speed is calculated from rider and/or pillion post impact trajectories
and at rest positions.

2.9

Vehicle speed is determined using conservation of momentum techniques

(CMT).
Range:

2.10

rear-end collisions, 90-degree collisions, opposing direction

collisions where one vehicle is stationary.

Anti-lock brake marks are identified, speed is calculated and actions are
determined.
Range:

surface type may include but is not limited to seal, gravel,

concrete, slick and rough bitumen, grass, ice, snow or other
surface type.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012

20286
15-Oct-12
5 of 7

POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH

INVESTIGATION
Identify and report on causative and/or
related events in a traffic crash

element 3
Identify the dynamics involved in a vehicle crash.
Range:

force type includes but is not limited to centred, offset, acceleration, positive
or negative, centripetal force reaction;
objects to be considered include but are not limited to vehicles, road users,
road surface, roadside furniture, animals.

performance criteria
3.1

Response of vehicle to force types is identified.

3.2

Effect of forces applied during a collision, turning or roll-over process on vehicle

occupants is identified.

3.3

Effect of forces applied during a collision on other participants or objects is

identified.

element 4
Identify types and causes of personal injury sustained by participants in a vehicle crash.
performance criteria
4.1

Injury types are identified.

Range:

4.2

may include but is not limited to damage to skeletal structure,

body surface bruising, abrasions, cuts and other external trauma
types commonly associated with traffic crashes.

Injury is identified in terms of the objects or process that caused the injury.
Range:

may include but is not limited to fittings inside vehicles, fittings

outside vehicles, road scour, gravel rash.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012

20286
15-Oct-12
6 of 7

POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH

INVESTIGATION
Identify and report on causative and/or
related events in a traffic crash

element 5
Identify factors relating to behaviour/actions of road users in a vehicle crash.
Range:

factors that impact and/or influence road user behaviour.

performance criteria
5.1

Sight lines and distances are identified.

5.2

Environmental factors impacting on sight lines are identified.

Range:

may include but is not limited to fixed objects eg fences;

moveable objects eg other vehicles, pedestrians; climatic factors
eg sun, fog; road surface eg wet, oily.

5.3

Potential avoidance alternatives, if any, are identified.

5.4

Reaction times that include consideration of sight lines and environmental

factors are identified.

5.5

Factors that influence night driving are identified and their impact on a crash is
explained.
Range:

headlight throw, focus, observation, reaction time, conspicuity

issues.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact The Skills Organisation info@skills.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes
to the content of this unit standard.
Please Note
Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority or a delegated interinstitutional body before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards
or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority before
they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012

20286
15-Oct-12
7 of 7

POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH

INVESTIGATION
Identify and report on causative and/or
related events in a traffic crash

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for providers wishing to
develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and
assessors, and special resource requirements.
This unit standard is covered by AMAP 0121 which can be accessed at
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/site/framework/search.html.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2012