What are the three phases of a crash?

• A. Before, during, after
• B. Pre crash, crash, post crash
• C. Initial impact, secondary impact, follow-up
• D. Setup, impact, resolution

Answer: (B)

In crash analysis, events are viewed as a sequence: what happens before the collision, what happens during the collision, and what happens after the collision. This framework helps investigators understand causes, mechanics, and consequences.

Before the crash includes factors that set up the event—speed, braking, driver actions, road and weather conditions, visibility, and vehicle status. The crash phase covers the actual contact—impact geometry, momentum exchange, deformations, and how vehicles interact. The post-crash phase deals with what follows the impact—the path of the vehicles, any secondary collisions, occupant outcomes, safety system deployment, and emergency response.

This naming—pre crash, crash, post crash—best captures the full sequence and is the standard terminology used in crash investigation and reconstruction. The other options are either too generic or describe parts of the event that aren’t the established phases in crash analysis.