A member of the Accident Reconstruction Unit at Traffic Headquarters, Elletson Road in Kingston uses the crush jig to reconstruct a traffic collision. The crush deformation jigs were presented to the police by the transport ministry early August and are expected to ease investigations of traffic crashes. Some five jigs were handed over by the ministry.

The equipment, which was purchased at a cost of US$600 each, will be used to determine the “depth of the damage, the speed at which a vehicle was travelling and the force direction”.

According to the ministry, the jigs will now allow for speedier road accident reports.

Transport Minister Michael Henry noted that these developments were part of the ministry’s Road Improvement Programme, which he said sought to ensure that the country’s road safety stakeholders are properly equipped to carry out their operations.

“Gone are the days when we were unable to investigate single-vehicle collision, sideswipes and vehicles hitting moving or fixed objects,” Henry remarked at the handing over.

“Gone are the days when we were unable to calculate the speed of the motor vehicle involved in collisions.”