Accident Investigation
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Accident Reconstruction
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Memberships
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As a Specialized Forensic At-scene Collision Homicide Investigation- and Reconstruction Service, IBF Investigations has perfected the process of accident investigation to a level unequalled by most.
The main reason for ensuring that IBF Investigations is called to your accident scene is because there is a possibility that there are criminal elements present at the scene. Drunken drivers may want to abscond, a high jacked vehicle might ave been involved and its occupants would prefer to leave immediately or the vehicle could be a stolen vehicle. You never know what will or could happen at an accident scene.
While we have already investigated in excess of 7,500 accidents by 2009, we have also constantly improved our at-scene investigation model.
If you, your family or your vehicle (assets) is involved in a road traffic collision (accident), we prefer to attend the scene live. There are many aspects of the at-scene investigation that is typically overlooked by the SAPS, Traffic and Metro Police officers.
One thing few people realize is that the "official services" like police and traffic, are not interested, required or mandated to complete any investigation with an interest in the civil liabilities, Road Accident Fund Claims, Employer Discipline or personal interest aspects of an accident.
We'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. This is our motto. We cannot ever say what aspects of a particular accident will be important a year, two or even ten, after all the vehicles have been crushed, repaired or sold, the road re-engineered or all the marks and evidence destroyed. We prefer to include all possible permutations of relevance in our at-scene investigation every time.
Since we use Laser Total Stations to measure scenes (as opposed to only measuring wheels or tape measures, as is the norm), we are able to include all items of relevance in every scene measurement process. We are able to record thousands of points of relevance to a very high degree of accuracy - in 3D space. Our measurements have never been disallowed in any court matter.
Our digital camera technologies allow us to take highly magnified photographs of items of evidence at the scenes of accidents. Thus, we are able to include lamp analysis (light on, or light off) in our at-scene protocols. This way, we are able to gather "All the Evidence," exactly as our logo states. Although our greatest amount of time is spent "investigating" accidents, our true expertise lies with the Reconstruction of accidents, based on accurate at-scene investigation. We seem to be the only entity currently fulfilling this particular need. |
People often misunderstand exactly what we do. The fact is that we prefer to be at the actual scene of an accident in order to ensure that we can gather all the evidence required, and in order to ensure that nothing can, will or does go missing. But, this is first prize. In reality, we are not always able to be "at the scene" as quickly as we would like - we work country-wide.
As Accident Reconstructionists, it is therefore our job to RE-construct accidents. Often, we area appointed only several years - as many as ten years or more - after the collision has occurred. In these cases, we need to have access to as much available information as might be available. As scientists, we base our findings on the information supplied. Obviously, poor information will yield poor results - we are not psychic and we do not form opinions based on probabilities - we only rely on confirmable facts. In every analysis, we make sure that we address every possible contributory factor. As much as it could happen that an investigator could get "caught up" in a specific finding to the point of excluding, disregarding or even over-looking other possible findings or elements of evidence, we have processes in place to prevent this. Therefore, we always consider a set of five possible spheres of influence, or possible contributory factors. We considered these with every reconstruction:
Human Factors It is possible that a collision could occur as a result of the actions of the driver, the actions of the owner or maintenance manager or that of a pedestrian or even a passenger. In our analysis of collisions, we never over-look this possibility. People seldom admit guilt, but we have mechanisms and processes that enable us to identify the degree of human factor contribution in a road traffic collision event.
Mechanical Factors Vehicles break down. Brake systems fail, tyres blow out, steering systems break, trailers un-hook and vehicles even catch on fire. For this reason, we always complete a mechanical examination of a vehicle involved in a collision. Among the possible elements of consideration system and component failure, poor or not maintenance and even legal compliance play roles in the analysis of a damaged vehicle.
Road Engineering Factors Just because "a man" was driving "a car" and "an accident happened," this can hardly be considered the only possible contributory factor in an accident. Often, road design, road maintenance or even road usage induced damage can contribute to- or cause road traffic collisions. There is not way to predict the degree to which a road design element has contributed to an accident unless this is also specifically considered and included in investigative protocols.
Environmental Factors We have all heard the stories: Multiple-car pile-up somewhere on a highway in dense fog. Or - snow, ice, an oil spill or peak-hour traffic resulted in an increase in accidents. We prefer to consider this as well. There always exists the possibility that the environment (weather, traffic or event) has caused an increase in road accident risk. We consider this possibility every time.
Anomalous Factors People are people. What can we say? Human beings are fallible mentally, but also very fragile medically. Heart-attack, stroke, epileptic seizure or other medical conditions could interfere catastrophically with a driver's ability to control a motor vehicle - without any onset warning. We need to consider this. Equally, rocks could fall, sudden blizzards occur and extreme winds (or even tornadoes) can strike without warning.
Whenever we reconstruct an accident, we make it an absolute rule never to overlook or exclude any of the above elements from consideration. As our accolades clearly indicate, we go to a great level of detail when we investigate and reconstruct accidents. In all our time as Accident Reconstructionists, we have never been proven "wrong" in a court of law. We pride ourselves on this achievement. |
We understand the economic climate faced by businesses and individuals alike; especially in the South African economy. Practically every sector from the insurance giants to the small commercial transport operator is 'feeling the pinch.' Everyone is concerned about the same thing: How they could afford a specialized service like ours - especially if they have just suffered a loss as a result of a road traffic collision.
But - as true as this may be, there is hope. Some of the operators in the service industry only offer hourly rates - often more than companies can afford. But - facing possible additional losses or even criminal liabilities, these companies or even individuals are left to cough up or fly it alone - both highly damaging to their financial situation.
Enter the concept of IBF Investigations Membership. We believe that through syndication of the possible expense involved in deploying a service like IBF Investigations, we are able to allow a shareholding of sorts - a lot like an insurance policy. By guaranteeing minimum costs, securing and agreeing to a set costs up-front, offering preferential treatment for our members and providing our full set of services at heavily reduced rates, we enable our clients to feel secure in tech knowledge that there will be no surprises. Our members can benefit from the following array of specific benefits:
a) A one-time joining fee, valid 'for life,' meaning no recurring fees, no annual increases of cost of membership and no surprise 'rate changes.'
b) Minimum costs based on realistic figures. In stead of basing our cost-model on time, we base it on distance. Therefore, members get to pay much lower rates, based on distance of travel, rather than surprising hours.
c) Capped Rates. Our members also benefit from knowing that - no matter how far we travel and how long we spend there (within South Africa), there will be a cap on the maximum rates charged. This means that members have the luxury of not ever having to make a decision regarding our deployment, without knowing exactly what the maximum possible cost will be.
d) Preferential Treatment. We give all members preferential treatment. This means that we will never decline to respond to a member's scene in favor of 'new business.' No matter where we are, or what we are busy with - when a member calls, we will respond as a priority. Our members are our VIP clients. They get the best possible service at all times.
e) Rates linked to the fuel price. We use vehicles. Therefore, we use fuel. Fuel is our biggest expense. So we consider it logical to link our rates to the South African Fuel Price (for local work). This has enabled us to build a 'predicted psychological maximum fuel price' anchor point into our rates. This way, our rates will not go up unless a certain fuel-price limit is exceeded.
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In order to appoint us, become a member or to make use of any of our array of services, we recommend that you contact us directly, in order for us to furnish you with a quotation (subject to our standard terms of service), tailored to your unique situation, your accident, your level of urgency and/or your specific requirements in mind. We typically DO NOT charge an hourly rate, since we feel that this presents a number of opportunities for inflation of the total cost of service. We therefore prefer to consult with each potential member or client individually, and to build a personal relationship based on the dynamics relevant to that specific investigation. If you are interested in appointing IBF Investigations on your matter, it would be best to have the following information in hand before contacting us: Date, time and exact location of the collision Full details of the involved vehicles Full details of the involved parties A copy of any Accident Report (AR) Form Any images, photographs or videos available Copies of any/all available statements |
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(c) IBF Investigations, 2010. This site was developed by Stan Bezuidenhout in January 2010. All rights reserved.