AIS can undertake a detailed forensic analysis of a vehicle’s restraint systems (seat belts, pretensioners and airbags) to look for evidence of seat belt usage during a collision.

Such an investigation examines the vehicle’s damage profile to identify the principal direction of force (PDOF) associated with the impact. The PDOF influences a vehicle’s post-crash movement and identifies the relative direction of occupant movement inside a vehicle during impact. This analysis further identifies the likely locations of possible evidence regarding occupant movements.

The key components to the restraint system are then subject to detailed inspection, which can each exhibit evidence of loading and/or material transfer during an impact, i.e.

• Anchoring points
• Webbing
• Retractor
• Latch plate
• Buckle
• Turning Loop or D-Ring
• Pretensioner
• Deployed airbags

Other areas of inspection include seat assemblies, steering and dash components, as well as the general vehicle interior.