Here is what the FMVSS sets as min. requirements for the stopping distances for the service and parking brakes (these are tests with the brakes HOT!):

Table II--Stopping Distance in Feet
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Service brake Emergency brake
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Vehicle speed in miles per hour PFC PFC PFC PFC PFC PFC
0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9
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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
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20................................................ ........ 32 35 38 40 83 85
25................................................ ........ 49 54 59 62 123 131
30................................................ ........ 70 78 84 89 170 186
35................................................ ........ 96 106 114 121 225 250
40................................................ ........ 125 138 149 158 288 325
45................................................ ........ 158 175 189 200 358 409
50................................................ ........ 195 216 233 247 435 504
55................................................ ........ 236 261 281 299 520 608
60................................................ ........ 280 310 335 355 613 720
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Note: (1) Loaded and unloaded buses; (2) Loaded single unit trucks; (3) Unloaded truck tractors and single unit
trucks; (4) Loaded truck tractors tested with an unbraked control trailer; (5) All vehicles except truck
tractors; (6) Unloaded truck tractors.

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So, basically the Federal government says with his loaded under 10,000 pound truck he should have come to a complete stop from 25 mph in 54 feet.

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He left 56 feet of skid marks with his front tires (rear abs) BEFORE he hit you. From owning a 97 Ranger and knowing how fast it stops from racing it, I would say he probably was going at least 50 mph before braking and probably hit you at 25 mph or more.

Like someone said, 60 mph = 88 feet per second, by the time he slammed on the brakes and started skidding, a second went by, and his speed already dropped to about 50 mph before the track marks.

Going by how much of his frame and front end was crushed and looking at past data (photos) they will be able to easily tell how fast he really was going. Along with the skid marks.

I imagine the Ranger was a total and towed. So, if it is 1998 or later all I can say is BLACK BOX!

Put the chart from the FMVSS in front of the police officer/insurance adjuster/ etc. along with the photo of the 56 foot skid marks and ask how he could not be speeding when the Federal government requires the truck to be able to stop from 25 mph in 54 feet - loaded! (I believe 1/2 payload and plus 400 pounds for driver and equipment). Have the police issue him a speeding ticket after their investigation! Not to mention lying to a police officer in the course of an investigation.

 

rebocardo, All that information is impressive.Hopefully, it will help randallc.Good Luck!

 

I like that calculator, apparently you'll skid 1 mile on wet ice going 112mph, learn something new everyday.

 

You guys are all great! Thank you for all the information. One thing I should tell you as well... the box on my truck was kinked in the middle like someone bent it over their knee and the box was also pushed into the back of the cab. Just thought you would like to know...

 

Your insurance company will supply a lawyer. Have you obtained a copy of the police report yet?

 

Just as a side note,

Physics is very accurate with accident reconstruction. I saw a police demonstration from state troopers where they would take a crown vic, go bombin' down a street and slam on the brakes to stop. Measure the skid marks, measure the co-efficient of friction, and even take into account the 10 foot painted crosswalk they skidded over, and came out within 1 mph of the Radar gun's #, he was going 45 but I forget how many feet it took to stop.

The 2nd step was to do it in a fishtailing manouver. The officer would take a hard corner and skid to a stop. They did the math after taking measurments of skid marks and again came within 2 mph.

An interesting point that some people don't know. Say you're going 30 mph, and you can stop in 40 feet. Then you went 60 mph, figuring you can stop in 80 feet. Nope, there is a square in the mathematical formula for that situation (physics perspective). And at a driving school we went to, we did a demonstration. We went 50 mph, and had to go through an S shape obstacle course. You were to slam on the brakes from 50mph, and try to steer around the obstacle, and come out the other side still going straight (with abs fuctioning). Well, at 50 you wouldn't have enough speed to start around the obstacle before the car would stop. At 55, you'd pass the obstacle but not completely, and at 60 you'd pass the obstacle and fly right out the end of the course if you were able to steer correctly. So the time in which it takes to stop, doesn't double as speed doubles, it's a lot more

Most higher performing cars can stop from 60 in about 115-120 feet. Those same cars take about 170-180 feet from 70 mph. Just that extra 10 mph requires an extra 55-60 feet. Think about how quickly ya can get to 0 from only 10 mph, only a few feet.

 

I have fixed trucks like that. I bet if you pull your front seat forward you will find that your seat has pushed the back of the cab backwards from the impact and it is bowed towards the V in the bed. Or the seat frame itself is bent.

Also, check your exhaust system and spare tire. I had one customer that got hit so hard the seat pushed the cab into the bed, broke the slider, dropped the spare tire, and dropped the exhaust. The Ranger drove away, the Caddy did not !

 

Try to find a mechanical engineer (professor or professional) who does work as an expert witness. They'll do all sorts of calculations to determine the vehicles speed and so forth.

Good luck,

Chris