Who We Are

Peter Jennings - TCRI consultantPeter Jennings

Bsc (Hons), Msc, MITAI

I am a forensic scientist specialising in collision investigation. I hold a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in physics, and I am a member of the Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators.

From 1975 to 1979 I was employed in the Accident Investigation Division of the Transport and Road Research Laboratory in Crowthorne, Berkshire on the 'On The Spot' investigation unit. During this time I was the first person in the UK to use the CRASH and CRASH2 computer programs. I was also involved in some of the early research into breath alcohol analysis machines.

In 1980 and 1981 I was employed in the Road Accident Group within the Department of Engineering Science at Oxford University, where I continued to routinely attend the scenes of traffic collisions, but was also involved in developing computer simulation methods for accident reconstruction for use in connection with studies into the relationship between crash severity and injury severity. This included use of the CRASH2 and CRASH3 computer programs.

From 1981 to 1989 I was employed at the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory, where I was on a call out system for attending serious and fatal road accidents as they were reported. I was also an authorised tachograph chart analyst, an authorised test driver, and I became qualified to drive Large Goods Vehicles.

From 1989 to 2002 I was a founding Partner in Ashton and Jennings, an independent firm specialising in forensic road accident investigation. In 2002, I became a Principal Consultant in the Incident Investigation and Reconstruction Group at TRL Ltd, (formerly the Transport and Road Research Laboratory) where I was also authorised as a test driver. In 2008 I left TRL Ltd and became a founding member of TCRI Ltd, a company specialising in forensic collision investigation.

As a test driver with both the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory and with TRL Limited, I have gained practical experience in the effects of different factors on vehicle handling. I have been present at, and participated in, numerous practical events including skid testing and crash testing sessions.

I have undertaken many short technical courses to develop various individual specialist skills; including courses on Driving Stability Systems, Accident Investigation for Road Safety Engineers, Forensic Tyre Examination, Vericom accelerometers, and a course by Brach and Brach on Mathematical Methods in Accident Reconstruction. I have completed a course in Visual Statement FX3 diagramming and animation software and I am an authorised user of the software. I have attended workshops with DSD covering the use of PC Crash simulation software.

I have lectured on a number of Police training courses including the City and Guilds of London Certificate in Road Accident Investigation, specialist courses for police accident investigators, and courses on the interpretation of vehicle damage. I have authored a number of research papers and presented them at conferences. I provided a workshop for collision investigators at the 2011 ITAI Conference.

I currently provide expert advice on road traffic collisions to police collision investigation units, highway authorities, solicitors and insurers.

David Hague

Bsc (Hons), CPhys, MinstP

I am a Bachelor of Science (BSc) with an honours degree in physics. I am also a Chartered Physicist (CPhys) and a Member of the Institute of Physics (MinstP).

I have been employed as an expert in Accident Investigation since 1993. Between 1993 and 1996 I worked at the  Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory; in 1996 this became the London Laboratory of the Government owned Forensic Science Service, where I remained until 2011 and became a Senior Forensic Scientist and also the National Scientific Lead for Accident Investigation. In 2011 I became a consultant atTCRI Ltd.

I specialise in the investigation of road traffic matters, including the use of physics in forensic science. The majority of my work falls into the following categories:

  • General accident investigation, including the use of advanced techniques and checking the interpretation and calculations performed by police officers.
  • Calculation of impact speed from vehicle damage, including use of computer programs based on the CRASH3 algorithms.
  • Determination of vehicle speed from analysis of CCTV footage.
  • Analysis of tachograph charts and digital data for the purposes of accident investigation and vehicle route tracing.

     
I have written approximately 1000 expert reports and given evidence on approximately 100 occasions. I currently provide approximately 50 expert reports per year. I have given evidence in a wide range of courts: Coroners’, Magistrates’, Crown, Military and High Courts; and have also attended court in Scotland, Northern Ireland and British military courts in Germany and the USA.

I have also provided one-off expert consultancy and the results of my analysis have been shown on several television programs.

I have researched various accident investigation techniques, including vehicle crash testing and have presented and published my findings at conferences.

 

Luke Jennings


Luke Jennings - TCRI consultant

I hold a Level 4 UCPD in Forensic Road Collision Investigation, awarded by De Montfort University, having completed a course in Forensic Collision Investigation provided by AITS.

 

I have undertaken additional training covering the following topics:

 

 
 
 
 
 
  • Total Station Surveying [The Survey School, 2011]
  • Vericom Accelerometers [AITS, 2011]
  • ProDrive Vehicle Dynamics Day [ProDrive, 2011]
  • PC Crash Simulation software seminars [NWTS & DSD, 2010 & 2011]
  • VS EdgeFX Comprehensive Diagramming [VS / Trimble, 2011]
  • VS FX3 Diagramming and Animation [VS / Trimble 2010]
  • AutoCAD Software [Worcester College of Technology, 2009]
  • Roadside Health and Safety [TRL Ltd.]

I have participated in practical events involving vehicle skid-testing and handling under test conditions.

Between 2003 and 2008 I was employed on a standby basis as a scene assistant at TRL Ltd.  In 2009 I joined TCRI Ltd, since which time my work has predominantly involved diagramming, animation, and simulation within collision investigation.