Traffic Crash Investigation and Safety Engineering

Scientific crash investigation has been a part of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety since its inception in 1936.  We offer on-ground and online comprehensive traffic crash investigation and reconstruction courses that range from introductory crash investigation through advanced crash reconstruction and engineering courses. 

Register or View Dates & Locations for All  Upcoming Crash Investigation Courses

Below are course descriptions for each of our Traffic Crash Investigation & Safety Engineering courses. Click a link to scroll quickly to your area of interest!

Note: For a printable, detailed overview and syllabus of Crash Programs click here.


View Upcoming Crash Foundational Series Dates

Crash Investigation

Foundational Series

The following courses are the bedrock of our Crash Investigation & Reconstruction program and serve as prerequisites to advanced traffic crash reconstruction courses. Crash Investigation 1, Crash Investigation 2, and Vehicle Dynamics build upon each other and should be taken in the series' order.

VIEW Dates for UPCOMING Reconstruction Series COURSES

Traffic Crash Reconstruction Courses

Crash Data Retrieval Courses

Elective Courses

Heavy Vehicle Truck Forensic Mechanical Inspection for Collision Investigators

Tuition: $1100 | Prerequisites: None
Obtain the skills required to properly document and analyze the unique aspects of commercial motor vehicle crashes. Both lecture and hands-on study focus on mechanical inspections of heavy vehicles damaged in collisions. Topics and components studied in this course include: heavy vehicle nomenclature; braking systems; suspension systems; wheel systems; steering systems; and, proper forensic investigation methods. Participants apply lecture material to hands-on experiences by mechanically examining and testing a truck damaged in a collision. Students complete this course with the ability to explain how specific components may factor into a collision event. They also become capable of restoring a damaged air-brake system on a heavy-duty commercial vehicle to pre-collision condition in order to collect data for calculations used to evaluate braking efficiency.

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Pedestrian / Bicycle Crash Reconstruction

Prerequisites: Traffic Crash Reconstruction 1; Traffic Crash Reconstruction 2 recommended 
40 hours | 40 ACTARs

Vehicle-vs.-pedestrian and vehicle-vs.-bicycle crashes often result in severe injuries to the pedestrian or rider, escalating the importance of accuracy when investigating and reconstructing these crashes. This course teaches students the mathematical equations to model such collisions and the appropriate formulas for varying crash scenarios. Participants obtain the skills to determine first-contact positions of pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles and to estimate the speed of a striking vehicle. Other course topics include human body motion as a result of impact, basic injury biomechanics, empirical data for pedestrian walking and running, drag factors, and bicycle collisions. This course includes three lab workshops, including a pedestrian-visibility workshop. Participants are exposed to the different effects of illumination, luminance, and glare and learn to discern the roles that visual acuity and contrast sensitivity play in the driving process. 

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