Evaluation of advanced surveying technology for accident investigation

The use of advanced surveying technology was evaluated for the investigation of traffic accidents. This is a form of digital surveying equipment that can be used to obtain detailed measurements, with the option of plotting the stored data by computer. The study compared the use of advanced surveying technology with traditional coordinate method. Detailed estimates of data collection activity were documented for a selected accident sample, and accident clearance times were documented for a much larger sample. Results indicate that the investigation of traffic accidents using total station surveys provides a substantial improvement over the traditional coordinate procedure.