The value of on scene in-depth accident research studies has been recognized internationally and many countries worldwide have such teams. Since such detailed information is essential for improving the safety of cars, a strong collaboration with automakers developed. This resulted in Germany in a joint project between FAT (Forschungsvereinigung Automobiltechnik or Automotive Industry Research Association) and BASt (Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen or the Federal Road Research Institute) started on July 1999, so called “GIDAS” (German In Depth investigation Accident Study). The paper is describing the methodology of this project with statistically orientated procedure of data sampling.

The paper will describe the process of accident sampling in using a random sampling plan, weighting factors and time selection windows for getting a representative sample. All kind of traffic accidents with injury outcomes are focused with this Study, the investigation areas are Hanover and Dresden in Germany. The team consists of technicians and medical staffs. A specific photography interactive digital system is used for true to scale plans of the accident scenery. Crash information e.g. driving and collision speed, Delta-v have to be determine from traces on the scene as well as examine deformation pattern for the assessment of energy speed absorption EES. Different calculations are used by the experts. The possible ways for such calculations for scientific purposes of indepth investigation teams are also shown in the paper.

Further on in this study the benefit of such comprehensive in-depth-investigation will be shown for an example on the analysis of multiple collisions of cars by correlation of technical parameters with injury outcome on the characteristics of injury pattern.