Freeze Frame Data
Can diagnostic data provide you with an unexpected source of information, in the investigation of a collision?
What is freeze frame data?
Freeze frame data is primarily used by vehicle technicians to diagnose the cause of a fault.
Where a vehicle suffers a fault, the vehicle can record information about what the vehicle was doing at the moment the fault occurred.
Whilst the main purpose of that data is to assist vehicle technicians, it can also assist in determining how and why a collision occurred and our forensic vehicle examiner has the knowledge and experience to assist in determining the presence of that data, and what it means.
What information is available?
The information available will vary from vehicle to vehicle and may also depend largely upon the equipment used to recover it.
In the past our forensic vehicle examiner has recovered information relating to vehicle speed, engine speed, the time and date the fault occurred, the component affected and more.
Which vehicles have this?
All modern vehicles have an on-board diagnostic system, which can record information, and most have the facility to record freeze frame data.
Where you think such data might be of use, we would always recommend attempting to access it sooner rather than later, as if you leave it too long, it may be overwritten or erased.