Craig Arnold and Adam Barrow from our RTC team have been featured in the latest edition of Expert Witness journal, contributing an article that examines the increasing role of vehicle‑borne digital data in road traffic collision investigations. Craig is Hawkins’ RTC Development Manager, based in Manchester, and Adam is an Associate in our London office.

In the article, Fraud or Force: Using Objective Crash Data in Personal Injury Claims, Craig explores the use of Event Data Recorders (EDRs) and how they are reshaping best practice for insurers, solicitors and expert witnesses. Drawing on real‑world case examples, he explains how EDR data can provide objective insight into vehicle speed, braking, restraint use and crash dynamics, often proving critical in establishing liability, challenging inconsistent accounts, and identifying fraudulent or exaggerated claims. Adam discusses how EDR evidence can support injury causation and biomechanical analysis when interpreted alongside physical vehicle damage and medical evidence.

The article highlights the importance of early action where digital vehicle data may be available. Craig outlines a practical framework for identifying whether EDR data is likely to exist, ensuring appropriately qualified experts are instructed, and preserving the relevant control modules before vehicles are disposed of or data is overwritten. The article also underlines that, while digital data should not be viewed in isolation, it can significantly strengthen investigations when combined with traditional forensic methods. As Adam notes, digital data can also be vital in determining occupant injury causation and the biomechanics of road collisions.

Craig is a Chartered Forensic Practitioner in Collision Investigation with nearly two decades of experience investigating road traffic collisions in the UK and internationally. A specialist in digital evidence, he has extensive expertise in Event Data Recorders, tachographs, telematics and forensic video analysis, and is a Level 4 LEVA certified forensic video technician. Before joining Hawkins, Craig was Technical Lead for the Forensic Investigations team at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), where he led complex investigative and research projects, including work for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

An experienced expert witness, Craig regularly provides evidence in Civil, Criminal and Coroners’ Courts and has acted as a Single Joint Expert and at public inquiries. He is Honorary Secretary of the Chartered Society of Forensic Science, a peer reviewer for SAE and Elsevier, and sits on the editorial board of Science & Justice.

Adam is a road traffic collision reconstruction expert with over 13 years of experience. Holding degrees in Biomedical Sciences and Biomechanics from the University of Manchester, he has a deep understanding of crash dynamics and injury mechanisms. Adam previously led the Collision Research team at the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, managing the award-winning National Highways Fatality Research Programme, and later contributed to major safety initiatives at WSP, including Smart Motorway upgrades. His expertise spans collision analysis, vehicle safety, injury biomechanics, and road system safety.

Read the full article on page 30-34 of Expert Witness Journal here. 

It is with great pleasure that we announce a series of well-deserved promotions across our organisation.

Our newly promoted colleagues Ben Lister, Shimin Zhuang, Yang Dang, Ross Clarke, and Richard Baker, have consistently demonstrated outstanding technical expertise, professionalism, and a commitment to the highest quality standards. Their promotions recognise a sustained period of achievement across complex casework, advanced technical development, and active engagement in continued professional learning.

Beyond their case responsibilities, each has made significant contributions to the wider business, including leadership in Health & Safety, mentoring colleagues, and positively influencing best practice across their teams. Their strong performance in mentoring, diligence in maintaining quality standards, and sustained operational contribution have demonstrated the professionalism and quality that these roles require. 

We extend our sincere thanks to each of them for their continued hard work, leadership, and positive influence across the business.

Please join us in celebrating the achievements of our newly promoted Senior Associates and Principal Associates. We look forward to their continued success and impact across the organisation.

Hawkins is delighted to welcome Craig Arnold as a Senior Associate and Forensic Collision Investigator, based in our Manchester office. Craig brings two decades of experience in road traffic collision investigation, gained through extensive work both in the UK and internationally. 

Craig is a Chartered Forensic Practitioner in Collision Investigation, with casework experience across South America, Africa, and Europe. His academic background includes an MSc focused on road safety and doctoral research exploring the use of big data and machine learning to reduce road collisions. 

Before joining Hawkins, Craig served as Technical Lead for the Forensic Investigations team at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). In this role, he led forensic collision investigation projects for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and contributed to a wide range of research and operational work in transport safety. 

Craig is also a highly skilled digital data specialist, with advanced qualifications in forensic video analysis and digital evidence. He is a Level Four LEVA Certified Forensic Video Technician (CFTV) and has significant experience in video enhancement, comparison, and audio analysis. His expertise spans a broad range of digital data sources, including tachographs, event data recorders, accelerometers, telematics, connected & autonomous vehicle (CAV) systems.  

An experienced expert witness, Craig has prepared reconstruction reports, joint expert statements, and has acted as a Single Joint Expert (SJE). He has provided evidence in Criminal, Civil, and Coroner’s courts, as well as at Public Inquiries. While his current practice primarily focuses on civil litigation, he continues to accept instructions in criminal cases. 

Alongside his investigative work, Craig serves as the Honorary Secretary for the Chartered Society of Forensic Science. He also sits on the editorial board of Elsevier’s Science & Justice journal and is a peer reviewer for both the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and Elsevier. In addition, he regularly supports the Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Video Association (LEVA) as a subject matter expert on speed analysis. 

We are excited to welcome Craig to Hawkins and look forward to the expertise and leadership he will bring to our Road Traffic Collision team. 

Protecting pedestrians in road traffic collisions has become a key priority in automotive engineering. With vulnerable road users making up a significant portion of traffic fatalities, vehicle design now plays a crucial role in reducing injuries and saving lives. 

In his article Pedestrian Protection Through Vehicle Design, Adam Barrow, one of Hawkins’ Road Traffic Collision experts, explores how pedestrian safety has evolved through engineering innovation and regulation. He examines the history of pedestrian protection, the dynamics of collisions, and the introduction of advanced safety systems. Adam highlights both passive safety measures, such as energy-absorbing bonnets and bumpers, and active technologies like AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) and pedestrian detection, which together can significantly reduce fatalities. 

Adam is a road traffic collision reconstruction expert with over 13 years of experience. Holding degrees in Biomedical Sciences and Biomechanics from the University of Manchester, he has a deep understanding of crash dynamics and injury mechanisms. Adam previously led the Collision Research team at the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, managing the award-winning National Highways Fatality Research Programme, and later contributed to major safety initiatives at WSP, including Smart Motorway upgrades. His expertise spans collision analysis, vehicle safety, injury biomechanics, and road system safety. If you need Adam or any other Hawkins expert to investigate an RTC claim, contact us for a free initial consultation.  

Read Adam’s full article on pages 70-72 in The Expert Witness journal,

Or visit his original insight here: Pedestrian Protection Through Vehicle Design.

We are delighted to welcome Steven Mairs to Hawkins as an Associate in our Belfast office. 

Steven is a Chartered Engineer and holds a First-Class Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast. He began his career as a Quality Engineer before progressing to a Technical Engineer, gaining valuable experience in manufacturing processes, materials performance, and quality systems within high-precision engineering environments. 

Steven later specialised as a Forensic Engineer in Road Traffic Collisions (RTC). In this role, he attended scenes of fatal and serious collisions at the request of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), often within hours of the incident. His responsibilities included reconstructing collisions, conducting detailed vehicle and component examinations, analysing physical and digital evidence, and providing expert testimony in court. Steven is also a registered Bosch Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) analyst and technician. 

Throughout his career, Steven has investigated a wide range of collision types and regularly advised investigative teams on forensic strategies, collision dynamics, and evidence interpretation.  

Please join us in welcoming Steven to Hawkins.  

It was a pleasure to host an immersive forensic fun day at our London office, attended by graduates and professionals from leading insurance companies including Ecclesiastical, Hiscox, RSA, Chubb, Brit Insurance, AIG, Intact, and Crawfords. Guests explored the world of forensic investigation through a series of interactive activities that demonstrated how Hawkins experts approach incidents to determine root causes. These sessions provided valuable insight into the science and techniques behind our investigations, highlighting the depth of analysis and expertise that supports insurers in resolving complex claims.

We are delighted to announce that Road Traffic Collision Reconstruction Expert, Chris Lewis, has joined our team of RTC investigators in the Reigate office.  

Chris joins us from Hampshire and Thames Valley Police, where he served as an on-call Forensic Collision Investigator. In this role, he attended the scenes of fatal, life-threatening, and police-involved collisions. He led scene examinations, collecting evidence on human, vehicle, and environmental factors before the road was reopened. Using this evidence, Chris reconstructed collisions and performed experiments to determine how contributory factors influenced those involved. His independent and unbiased work assisted the courts in establishing the facts of each case. 

Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Cartography from the Spatial Science School at Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia, graduating in 2007. He began his career in land and engineering surveying before moving into 3D laser scanning in 2010. This quickly progressed to large-scale projects, including new stadiums, airport terminals, and work in the mining, oil, and gas industries. 

Chris developed a passion for mechanics early in life, restoring his first car as a teenager. That enthusiasm grew into a passion for track racing and later translated into high-speed driving as part of his duties as a Police Constable. His interest in cars and physics, combined with his experience in 3D laser scanning, paved the way for his first role as a collision reconstructionist with the Western Australian Police Force in 2017. 

Chris has attended and reported on countless fatal and serious injury collisions and has given expert evidence at numerous Coroners’ inquests as well as in Crown and Magistrates’ Court trials, covering cases from murder to careless driving causing serious injury. His work has earned him multiple police commendations. 

Chris has a particular interest in advanced video analysis and leveraging 3D laser scanning technology to reconstruct collisions with exceptional accuracy. By combining these techniques, he can extract critical data from dashcams, CCTV, and other video sources, then integrate it with precise 3D models of the scene. This approach enables highly detailed reconstructions that clarify vehicle movements, speeds, and impact points, providing courts and clients with clear, evidence-based insights. 

It’s a pleasure to welcome Chris to the team.