410 Forensic Engineering Fundamentals
the ON/OFF status of the bulb. Under ideal conditions, the lamp should be examined
immediately aer the accident. But in reality, this is seldom possible because investigators
are called upon to make a determination days, or weeks aer the accident. Under these
conditions, the evidence is oen lost, damaged, or confused. Special attention should be
taken to correctly identify the bulbs closest to the point of impact and the type of lament
associated with each bulb. However, even under ideal conditions, undisturbed bulbs and
laments give inconclusive results.
We may categorize this analysis by rst determining whether the glass bulb is broken
or not, whether the lament is broken or not, and whether t