Force Orders 1936

X No. 70. 13th No e ba , 1936. CIRCULATEDTO ALL EANEB OF 'Ph CHE5- HI�E CONSTABU7JARY. BRAKEMARKS - SKID HAREB. 1Vhengivingevidenceaad deacrib3ngin Reports marksmade by motor vehicles,it is moat importantthat a PoliceOfficershouldstatecorrectlywhat kind of mark he ie speakingor writingabout. � Thereie a distinctdi.fferenc�batweena brakemark and a skidmark made by a motorvehicle. The brakemark is causedby the applicationof the brakeslockingone or more wheels oP the vehiclewhich causes the wheel or wheelsao lookedto slidealongon that part of the wheel aurfacain contactv iththa road at the tine the wheel or wheelsbecamelocked. The markwi11 continueto be made on the roaduntilthe brakesar� releasedagainto a11aw the wheel or wheelsto againre ol e. Tha vkidmark is causedmainlyby vicieabnormal circumstanceoverWhich the driverof the vehiclehas no ooatrol and which invariablycausesthe driverto lose completecontrol of the vehicle,i.e., Bursttyre, Greaeyroad surface, Bad camberon the oad, Frost-boundroad. The followingwi11 aleo causea car to skid,the skid baingbroughtaboutby some deliberateact on the part of the driverof the vehicle .- Drivingroundcornersat a fast speed, Changingthe courseof the vehicleauddenly when drivingat high or excessivespeeds, Suddenapplicationof the brakewhen the holding surfaceof the road is bad or when the tyres are bad1yworn or under-inflated. It is possibleto different3atebetweexia brakemark aad . ekidmark i� the followingpolnteare lookedfor. BRAKE MARKk. Themark wi11 ccemenceevenlyin the tracksoP a11 No. 70. 1. 2 wheeleon whiah brakesoperate. At the commencamentof the mark (usually�or aboutsix inches)thereis a faintimpreesionon the road developingintoa distinctscrapefollowingthe �rontwheel trackswith the dimeneioasclearlyand eaenlydefined. This mark wi11 oompletelyobliteratethe tyre patternsmade by the forwardwheels it follows,and usuallyleavesa c1ear imprint on the road of the tyre patternwhere the vehiclecomesto rest. S KID MARKS. The markwi11 not oommenceevenlyin the tracksof a11 fourwheels,and wi11 not followtha forwardwheel tracks,but will usuallytake eitherone o� two directions,i.e. Skid forwardwaveringfrac side to side. 5kidviolentlyia one direction. Oftenthe tyre patternie vieibleand the vehiclewi11 1eavedietincttraoksof a11 its wheels. The dimensionsof the marks a e definedand are irregularboth as to widthand length, the greatestwidth be3ngdefinedat the pointwhere the skidwas moet eevere . In the ekid oausedby the suddenapplicationof the brakes,the markwi11 ahew olearlyand evenlyae in the ordinary brakemark, but wi11 breakup at the pointthe vehiclecommenced -to skid indicatingthe directionit took whilstskidding. A carefulexaminationo� marksmade by vehicleswi11 enableOfficersto statecorrectlywhat kind of markswere found, and in futurewhen makingReportsand givingevidenoerelative to suchmarks, Officerewi11 statewhetherthe mark was a brake mark or skidmark,and if cross-examiaedon the statementmade, explainwhy he has etatedthat the mark foundwa a brakemark or vice versaaa the casemay be.