Accident Terms and Definitions

Aggressive Drivers (road rage)
Can be describes as: aggressive tailgating,Lights flashed at them because the other motorist was annoyed, aggressive or rude gestures,deliberate obstruction -- preventing them from moving their vehicle,verbal abuse,physical assault and other actions.

Misdemeanor
Criminal offenses less than felonies; generally those punishable by fine or imprisonment of less than 90 days in a local facility.

Linear Momentum
A quantity associated with the motion of an object along a straight path. The linear momentum of an object is defined to be equal to its mass times its velocity.

Subpoena
Document issued by the authority of the court to compel a witness to appear and give testimony or produce documentary evidence in a proceeding. Failure to appear or produce is punishable by contempt of court.

Brake Build-up (Brake Lag)
Occurs just after the brakes are applied and continues until they lock.

Cause of action
A legal claim. Certificate under penalty of perjury - A written statement, certified by the maker as being under penalty of perjury.

Using cell phone
Some state have banned types of cell phone use while driving. This can be very dangerous and my be a cause of an accident.

Common law
Law which derives its authority solely from usage and customs of immemorial antiquity or from the judgments and decrees of courts. also called "case law."

Failure to yield the right of way
Can be when you proceed forward while disregarding right of way signs or signals for other cars. You may not be the car that is sopossed to go forward.

Triangulation
Technique for scene documentation where items of evidence are located by measuring the distance between two (2) reference points.