Exploring the Uses of Apple iPhone Data in Traffic Crash Reconstruction

Using data extracted from an Apple iPhone after its usage on three test drives, this research sought to identify and analyze the types and quantity of data recorded by the phone that might be relevant to traffic crash reconstruction efforts, as well as to see how these data vary depending on application usage. Of particular interest were location and speed data, as those data yield information that are directly applicable to traffic crash reconstruction. Location data was found to be recorded as frequently as once every second with the usage of applications on the phone, but the lapses between data points increased to fifteen seconds when the phone was idle and were between one and ten minutes when the phone was locked. Moreover, speed data was found to be recorded with usage of the Snapchat, Google Maps, Camera, Phone, and Weather applications on the phone; these applications were also found to have location permissions turned on in the phone’s settings. These results indicate that there is a large quantity of valuable information on mobile devices, particularly location and speed data, that can help counteract the limitations and potential errors of current physical crash reconstruction procedures. Ultimately, the prevalence of mobile devices, as well as their communication capabilities, make them valuable tools in crash reconstruction. However, their value is directly related to digital forensic capabilities, which are highly dependent on the make, model, and condition of the phone, as well as the timeliness of data extraction. Given these limitations, we strongly suggest that this data be used in tandem with current physical crash reconstruction methodologies to fill in gaps in information, confirm calculations, reconstruct events prior to the crash, and provide evidence in those cases where physical evidence is lacking