Wade has a uniquely broad career. From consulting engineer, to Deputy Sheriff, to Adjunct Faculty at IPTM, to NAPARS Administrator, he’s an integral member of the reconstruction community.

Wade has a bachelor’s and master’s in mechanical engineering, a professional engineering license, and is also ACTAR accredited. He’s authored or co-authored nearly 50 technical publications, and has presented at conferences all over the world.

We sat down for nearly 3 hours and covered a wide variety of topics, including:

- How Wade accidentally became an engineer

- Going from failure analysis to accident reconstruction

- Handling expert testimony

- Overcoming the fear of public speaking

- Becoming a police officer

- Giving back to the community

- Monte Carlo analyses

- Critical Speed

- Drag Sled wars

- Advice for the next generation

- And more

You can watch the podcast and find links from the show here.

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Connect with Wade

Read Wade's Papers

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Timeline of Topics

00:00:00 - Career Overview and the Importance of Meticulous Field Work

00:06:21 - Researching Motorcyclist Perception and Response with Eye Tracking

00:09:07 - Academic Challenges and Learning to be an Engineering Student

00:20:12 - Transitioning from Failure Analysis to Accident Reconstruction

00:32:24 - Self-Teaching HVE and the Vital Role of Forensic Photography

00:39:05 - Handling First Depositions and Navigating Cross-Examination

00:53:46 - Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking through Teaching and Mentorship

01:09:05 - Growth of NAPARS and Modernizing Information Sharing

01:35:02 - Becoming a Police Officer and Bridging the Civil-Criminal Data Gap

01:56:10 - Applying Monte Carlo Statistical Analysis in Excel

02:14:42 - The Science of Critical Speed Yaw and the Drag Sled Research Wars

02:40:35 - Advice for the Next Generation: Constant Learning and Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge

Swaroop is a Managing Scientist at the famous Driver Research Institute, where he wears many hats including research, education, software development, and analysis of motor vehicle collisions.

He holds a bachelor’s in industrial engineering from Die Anon Saggar College of Engineering in India and a Master’s degree in industrial engineering from Texas A&M University, where he focused on human factors.

Swaroop has published over 20 papers in the field of human factors and is a member of several driver safety related committees and technical groups.

We covered a wide variety of human factors topics, including:

• The science of evaluating a driver’s response
• Pedestrian detection and safety
• Fatality trends and insights
• The SHRP2 data gold mine (Strategic Highway Research Program)
• Naturalistic braking data
• Documenting nighttime scenes
• And more...

Two clarifications from the show:

• Biomotion is referred to as “biometric” on a few occasions.
• Fatal pedestrian crashes with intoxicated crash stats: Drivers >0.08 is ~18% and Peds >0.08 is ~30%. Overall ~43% where either one was >0.08.

You can watch the podcast and find links from the show here.

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Connect with Swaroop

Driver Research Institute

Response / IDRR

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Timeline of Topics

00:00:00 - Team Growth and Research Methodology Challenges

00:04:01 - Unbiased Human Factors Analysis and Study Compilation

00:13:22 - Perception-Response Time Variables, Adjustments, and IDRR Development

00:20:38 - Journey into Human Factors Engineering

00:23:33 - Rising Fatality Trends and Emergency Vehicle Distractions

00:31:57 - Haptic Feedback, ADAS Warnings, and System Limitations

00:37:02 - Roles at Driver Research Institute and Response Software Overview

00:48:23 - Detailed Fatality Trends and ADAS Effectiveness

00:50:26 - Pedestrian Safety: Nighttime Visibility and Contributing Factors

00:58:20 - Overestimation of Visibility and Retroreflective Clothing Studies

01:10:53 - Tennis Ball Visibility Study and Bicyclist/Pedestrian Enhancements

01:28:13 - Pedestrian Walking Speeds, Adjustments, and Response Integration

01:33:43 - Case Handling: Site Inspections, Tools, and Analysis Process

01:45:01 - SHRP2 Naturalistic Data Introduction and Braking Insights

02:19:26 - Key Takeaways from SHRP2 Research on Crash Types and Responses

02:35:57 - ADAS Challenges: Distractions, Takeover, and Human-Machine Interaction

02:46:06 - Looming Effects, Lead Vehicle Detection, and Specific Influences

03:05:52 - Expert Testimony Advice and Demonstratives

03:09:29 - Turning Crash Analysis into Broader Safety Improvements

Lou sits down with motorcycle data guru, Ed Fatzinger. Ed is the director of accident reconstruction at YA Engineering. He holds a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University and a master’s in aerospace engineering from Embry Riddle University. He’s also a professional engineer, ACTAR-accredited reconstructionist, and a member of the SAE accident reconstruction committee.

He’s published several papers on the topic of motorcycle crash data. In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• Kawasaki data and how Ed started down that path

• Ducati’s Data Monitoring system

• Bombardier’s BUDS data

• Airbags vests

• Apps

• Diagnostic tools

• And more…

You can watch the podcast and find links from the show here.

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Connect with Ed

EdFatzinger.com

YA Engineering

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Timeline of Topics

00:00:00 – Bikes in the shop and Ducati’s modern tech

00:04:03 – Discovering Kawasaki’s hidden EDR system

00:07:18 – Breaking barriers: early roadblocks and first contact with Kawasaki

00:12:03 – Data mysteries and how manufacturers respond

00:15:43 – How motorcycle EDRs actually trigger (and how Ed tested it)

00:20:43 – Cracking the code: reverse-engineering and publishing the first papers

00:25:03 – Education, persistence, and field testing across the country

00:32:48 – Tip-over sensors, power loss, and missing crash data

00:37:38 – Inside the data: speed, traction, throttle, clutch, and gears

00:47:17 – Validating accuracy and correcting speed data

00:52:16 – Power loss anomalies and how to preserve motorcycle EDR evidence

01:04:17 – Off-road vehicles, BRP systems, and what “last instant data” really means

01:12:21 – Diagnostic tools, Ducati EDRs, and the future of rider data

01:34:49 – Airbag vest systems and data availability

01:41:23 – Ducati Data Analyzer and practical applications

01:56:54 – Smartphone-based data

01:59:24 – Lessons learned and how to connect with Ed