Authored by John Kwasnoski                                                APRI Review, Summer 2006

                                                                                                                       David M Kopstein, review

                                                                

Authored by John Kwasnoski, one of America’s leading experts on motor vehicle crash reconstruction, From Crash to Courtroom teaches attorneys what to look for when examining an accident reconstruction expert’s report, and explains in detail numerous potential errors an attorney may encounter. Of equal importance to law enforcement professionals, Kwasnoski’s work also addresses such critical issues as proper evidence collection and effective crash analysis using the correct application of mathematical equations.

From Crash to Courtroom is devoted to ensuring that the science behind traffic collision reports is accurate, and explains how many seemingly accurate findings may in fact be scientifically incorrect. Examples range from the improper use of the non-deployment of an airbag to “prove” a low impact speed to the deliberate misapplication of computer software to supply desired videos and graphs. At its heart, From Crash to Courtroom teaches readers how to be more critical of collision experts’ reports – then, equipped with a better understanding of the scientific fundamentals and analysis used in the preparation of such reports, attorneys may more effectively challenge the findings put forth by both sides. Cutting through the jargon and mathematical calculations frequently found in other automobile accident treatises, From Crash to Courtroom is written in non-technical terms to help attorneys better understand and more effectively question expert testimony.

"This is an important and long overdue book," says Gerald Partridge, Esq., Adjunct Professor at the National College of District Attorneys. "From Crash to Courtroom will serve the trial lawyer as both a sword and a shield – providing the tools needed for dismantling the incompetent or unscrupulous collision reconstructionist, while supplying the roadmap for building a case on a solid foundation of scientific cause and effect."

About the Author: John Kwasnoski is one of the leading national experts in crash reconstruction, and co-author of three best-selling books: "Investigation and Prosecution of DWI and Vehicular Homicide," "The Officer's DUI Manual" and "Courtroom Survival." A Professor Emeritus of Forensic Physics at Western New England College, he has served as an expert in over 750 motor vehicle accident cases, including single and multiple vehicle, pedestrian, train and motorcycle crash cases. Professor Kwasnoski is also the founder of CRASH! The Science of Collisions, an educational program for high school and college students devoted to reducing young adult motor vehicle fatalities through the use of the sciences and math.