Every year two Law Enforcement Agencies conduct Law Enforcement Vehicle Evaluations. The results are a good source of information. But, in our opinion, their test for measuring vehicle handling and cornering power are not what they could be. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department does not call their test handling, the report calls their two […]
The Dynamics of a Vehicle Emergency
Anytime the steering wheel is moved while the car is in motion, a lateral or sideways force is created. This force is pushing in the opposite direction the car is turning. This force is an expression of inertia, or, as stated in Newton’s First Law of Motion, a body at rest tends to remain at […]
The Physics of Racing Series
This is a series of articles written by Brian Beckman, PhD. Although written for the racer many of the articles can be adapted to EVOC training. The Physics of Racing, Part 1: Weight Transfer
Characteristics of Law Enforcement Officers’ Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Crashes
Executive Summary Characteristics of Law Enforcement Officers’ Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Crashes http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811411.pdf http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/OSWG/e091120401-OSWGReport.pdf The Law Enforcement Officers Killed & Assaulted (LEOKA) data, compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shows that the number of law enforcement officers (LEOs) killed in the line of duty by violent means dominated those who were killed in motor vehicle crashes until […]
Science of Speed: Tires and Pressure
NASCAR tires don’t have “air pressure” because they’re filled with nitrogen. The culprit responsible for increasing tire pressure during a race is friction. Using dry nitrogen gas helps the team predict how hot the tire will get and how much the pressure will “build” during a race. http://science360.gov/obj/video/11ac7bf2-11dd-4df2-8524-373accf09dbd/science-speed-tires-pressure