Forensic collision investigator

Career path and progression

With experience, you could move into management or work on a freelance or consultancy basis.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• knowledge of public safety and security
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• the ability to use your initiative
• excellent verbal communication skills
• analytical thinking skills
• excellent written communication skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• be over 18 years of age
• have a full driving licence

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Physics - Forensic collision investigators apply physics every day – calculating vehicle speeds from skid marks, analysing crush damage, and understanding forces involved in impacts. Concepts like momentum, kinetic energy, friction, and deceleration are essential for reconstructing how a collision happened.
• Mathematics - Forensic collision investigators use maths constantly to calculate speeds, stopping distances, and the timing of events leading up to a collision. They also create scale plans of crash scenes and use trigonometry and algebra to model vehicle trajectories and impact angles.
• Engineering - Forensic collision investigators examine vehicles and vehicle parts to understand how mechanical systems performed before and during a collision. Knowledge of how engines, brakes, steering, and suspension systems work helps them identify whether a technical failure contributed to the incident.

Also relevant

• Design and Technology - Forensic collision investigators examine how vehicles and their components are designed and constructed, including materials and structural integrity. Understanding how things are built and how materials deform under stress helps when analysing crush damage and vehicle failures.
• Law - Forensic collision investigators produce reports used in criminal and civil court proceedings and may give evidence as expert witnesses. They need to understand court procedures, rules of evidence, and the legal framework around road traffic offences.
• English Language - Forensic collision investigators write detailed technical reports that must be clear enough for judges, juries, and legal teams to understand. They also give verbal evidence in court, where precise and confident communication can be critical to the outcome of a case.
• Computer Science - Forensic collision investigators use specialist software to create 3D reconstructions of crash scenes and simulate vehicle dynamics. Understanding how these digital tools and models work helps them produce accurate reconstructions and interpret data from vehicle systems like tachographs and event data recorders.
• Geography - Forensic collision investigators consider road conditions, terrain, weather, and environmental factors when reconstructing collisions. Skills in reading maps, understanding land use, and interpreting how physical surroundings affect events are useful when surveying and documenting crash scenes.