Tachograph Analysis

Tachograph data has two forensic applications:

  • To determine speeds at and immediately before an incident, the rate of braking and the manner of driving
  • To determine the route travelled and the time that a vehicle was at a particular location
Tachograph Analysis

An analogue tachograph is a combined speedometer and driver log. It records on a circular paper chart, the speed and distance travelled in km/h by a vehicle, and the driving, duty and rest periods of a driver. A tachograph chart rotates one complete revolution in 24 hours, and recordings are made on the chart by three styli which record speed, distance and mode of work.

A digital tachograph is a driver log, the purpose of which is to record and store data related to driver activities. Any users of the vehicle identify themselves to the equipment by inserting a tachograph card into the device. The recording equipment provides selective access rights to functions according to the user’s card type and/or identity.

The tachograph records data in its memory and on the tachograph cards. Digital tachographs retain up to 12 months’ worth of duties carried out in the vehicle in which they are fitted.

The driver’s card records up to 28 days’ worth of the individual driver’s activities including distance travelled, registration number of vehicles driven, faults and card insertion and removal times.

Annotated speed graph from digital tachograph

Annotated speed graph from digital tachograph

Tachograph Analysis

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