How can we ensure all reconstructionists are qualified?

Because reconstruction is such a delicate process, it is necessary that all reconstructionists are qualified. While some feel short courses are not enough, there are still no straightforward, university engineering curriculums that specifically train a student for accident reconstruction.

Although some courses in forensic engineering are offered sporadically (for example, Introduction to Forensic Engineering is offered at the University of Texas at Tyler, Failure Analysis and Condition Assessment in Civil and Mechanical Engineering is offered at the University of Colorado at Denver, and Purdue University offers Medical Device Accidents and their Engineering Analysis and Applications in Forensic Engineering Technology) a comprehensive reconstruction curriculum needs to be developed to ensure reconstrucionists are fully trained.

A start, but is it good enough?

A sample reconstruction curriculum was developed by a committee appointed by the president of the NAFE in 2000, but has not been implemented at any university as of yet.

Sample NAFE curriculum

Though the curriculum appears to be fairly solid and the efforts on behalf of the NAFE committee are encouraging, it is clear that more work is needed to fully develop a reconstruction engineering program. Without a standard curriculum, it will continually be impossible to tell whether or not one is truly qualified to practice reconstruction. And with so many lives at stake, one might suggest that not streamlining reconstruction qualifications could prove to be a costly mistake.

A solution?

Engineering schools should take the initiative to implement this type of training into their curricula, or work with the short course schools to provide a more comprehensive education to those wishing to learn reconstruction. In addition, ACTAR could design a new, required exam that better showcases reconstructionists' skills.

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