What Is the Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team?

The Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) investigates serious crashes using specialized technology and training, focusing on criminal implications and determining fault. If you were injured in a serious crash or you lost a loved one in a fatal accident, SCRT may play a central role in gathering evidence. Learn more by contacting an experienced car accident lawyer in Georgia.

You Can Use the SCRT Report as Evidence 

An SCRT report may represent a powerful piece of evidence as you pursue compensation for a crash in Georgia. You can use this report to support your legal arguments, whether you are trying to establish fault after a debilitating injury or you’re pursuing compensation on behalf of a deceased loved one.

The SCRT utilizes technologies and advanced investigation techniques that the average person would not be able to implement after a car accident. Even more importantly, these troopers start their investigations very quickly after accidents, often just hours afterward. Evidence gathered quickly after a car accident is generally more reliable, and some evidence may fade away if troopers do not gather it quickly enough.

SCRT troopers use advanced technology such as drones, laser mapping, and 3D modeling software. They also use event data recorders (EDRs) to extract important crash data. EDRs are also known as “black boxes,” and they are crash-proof computers found in most modern vehicles.

The SCRT Focuses on Criminal Implications

From the perspective of the SCRT, the focus is to determine the criminal implications of a crash. For example, troopers might want to find out whether there is enough evidence to file homicide charges against a negligent driver after a fatal accident. This is an important part of the criminal justice system, and a conviction may provide victims and their families with closure.

However, it is important to understand the difference between civil liability and criminal “guilt” in this situation. Prosecutors must establish a driver’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt if they want to secure a homicide conviction. In contrast, a personal injury attorney in Georgia only needs to establish a “preponderance of evidence” to establish negligence and prove liability.

Even if an SCRT report does not lead to a conviction (or even charges), it may still be useful in a civil lawsuit. Various details could help establish a preponderance of evidence, as long as it represents a likelihood of over 50 percent.

In addition, the SCRT might not even consider certain factors that may be relevant to a civil personal injury case. A basic traffic violation (like failing to use a turn signal) might not rise to the level of criminal conduct in the eyes of the SCRT. On the other hand, this detail could be crucial in an auto accident lawsuit.

Can an Auto Accident Lawyer in Georgia Help Me?

Although SCRT may gather important evidence that you can subsequently use in an auto accident lawsuit, an experienced auto accident attorney in Georgia can also be quite helpful in this situation. A lawyer can investigate your crash in ways that a trooper might miss. Continue this conversation by contacting Morain & Buckelew, LLC at (404) 448-3146.

Source: 

dps.georgia.gov/divisions/georgia-state-patrol/specialized-collision-and-reconstruction-team-scrt