The vehicle involved in this accident had been repaired, and incorrect rear hub carriers and ABS sensors were installed. When the accident occurred, the driver reported that the brakes did not work.
During a period of gusting winds, a Yugo automobile was blown over the side of the Mackinac bridge, which connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan. Claims were made that the design of the bridge and the Yugo, as well as the operating authority of the bridge, were at fault.
A bus used to transport patrons who were parked at Foxboro Stadium to attend a local golf tournament was struck by a large gate. The gate was unintentionally left unlatched, swung into the path of the bus during a wind gust and penetrated the bus interior, injuring numerous passengers and destroying the bus.
Dan collaborated with accident reconstructionists at the Wisconsin State Patrol to perform full scale experiments.
The accident occurred when a car attempted to traverse a rough railroad track crossing. The driver lost control and veered leftward into a ditch. The issue under investigation was the vehicle response to the roughness of the pavement.
An experimental program was initiated to examine the phenomenon of tire hydroplaning. A number of such accidents have been analyzed by MARS, and a considerable amount of theoretical work has also been performed.
During an IMSA race pit stop, the quick-release refueling rig failed to detach from the race car as the driver was waived onto the track and attempted to leave the pits. As the car pulled away, the fueling hose ruptured, spilling gasoline onto the hot exhaust of the car and igniting a conflagration in the car pit area.
A motorcyclist lost control of her motorcycle during a passing maneuver. The motorcyclist alleged that the accident was caused by a faulty section of roadway.
The accident occurred when a Legends race car being driven during a track day for Boy Scouts struck another child and severely injured him. In addition to injuring the bystander, the race car itself was heavily damaged.
As a chain of school buses were making a left turn onto a road in early morning darkness, a motorcyclist laid down his motorcycle to avoid the bus traffic, then struck one of the buses in the side. At issue was the lighting condition of the motorcycle and the visibility of the school buses.
A motorcyclist attempted to change lanes in a construction zone, not realizing that one lane had been repaved but not the second, adjacent lane. The repaved lane was higher than the unpaved one, creating a step parallel to the direction of travel of the motorcycle. When the motorcyclist encountered the step, he crashed and was seriously injured.
During racing, a race car became airborne, overturned and went upside down into a gravel trap at Homestead Miami race track. The driver of the car suffered fatal injuries. Allegations were made against the car manufacturer and the track. There was one clear photograph showing the position of the airborne race car and its location on the track.
Ignoring vehicle aerodynamics and collision forces, all of the external forces applied to a vehicle (bicycle, motorcycle, passenger car, race car, truck, etc,) are generated by the tires. Tire behavior is determined experimentally through flat-track tire test machines which measure forces and moments as the rolling tire is steered, braked and cambered, and also via full scale road testing.
A tram used to transport physically challenged patrons up Morgue Road to the prison on Alcatraz Island struck a protruding pipe on a wall adjacent to its path of travel. The roof and super-structure of the tram trailer were damaged, and struck passengers on the tram.
Facts can be stubborn things.