Expert Witness Summary
Rick August is a Expert Witness in crash analysis, traffic safety, road user behavior, driver education, and air brakes.
He earned his Driving and Air Brake Instructor’s license from the Ontario (Canada) Safety League in 1997.
Since that time, he has taught air brake courses in both the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia, Canada.
He is currently licensed as a commercial driver and air brake instructor in British Columbia.
The bulk of his driving instruction career has been teaching drivers of semi-trucks and buses fitted with air brakes in Canada, the United States, and Australia.
He's both authored the e-book “Air Brakes Explained Simply” and generated numerous videos on air brake systems.
These resource materials are in a bid to help CDL students pass their air brake endorsement.
He holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne, Australia in legal history.
Specifically, policing and law as it works to uphold traffic’s social order.
Experienced Accident Investigation
Dr. August is committed to providing you with the best analysis for your litigation.
He has the training, education, and experience to provide you with a holistic accident investigation.
His unique background and education allows him to bring a holistic perspective to your accident investigation.
This approach will discover details often overlooked by others.
Summary of Crash Analysis Experience
• PhD in legal history and traffic safety
• Expert in teaching air brakes, CDL compliance, and safety.
• 2 decades CDL experience with trucks & buses (Canada, United States & Australia)
• Smart Drive Test YouTube channel with 300,000+ subscribers with more than 50 million views. Videos teach road test success, defensive driving, & complete CDL career information.
• Smart Drive Test offers online driver education courses (commercial & passenger).
• Licenced commercial driving instructor in Canada and Australia since 1997.
• Eight years teaching & mentoring experience (novice & experienced drivers, people with disabilities, & post-secondary).
• Extensive experience developing & delivering curriculum; and interpreting legislation & policy.
• Established negotiation, problem solving, and effective decision-making ability.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills.
• Works well independently or within a team.
• Valid British Columbia Driver’s Licence with no convictions, Class 1,6 (tractor-trailer, airbrakes, motorcycle).
• Thirty years Class 1 driving experience with a wide range of equipment.
• Expert use of computers, GPS & satellite tracking units, electronic log books and other
navigational tools.
For full details see Curriculum Vitae
Expert Witness Testimony Reports
Collision reports are generated from the standpoint of the case going to court.
These provide a level of detail that will withstand scrutiny from legal counsel.
As required by the court, these crash analyses are written from an unbiased and non-partisan position.
The facts of the case are presented, interpreted, and explained in a logical, sequential manner so that complex driving and traffic systems can be understood by laypersons.
Consequently, the end-result is a fair and just legal decision for your client(s).
Driver Duty of Care In Accident Investigation Determination
Most collisions are a result of driver error; however, motorists’ mistakes are often difficult to understand.
And traffic laws, policies, and outreach programs attempt to influence the decision-making process:
• of tens of thousands of road users;
• on any given day;
• in any given place;
• in any given emotional state.
For these reasons, traffic crashes are seldom monocausal.
Get both the expertise and analysis you need for your litigation that seeks compensation for your client.
