Darrin Richards, P.Eng., P.E.

Mr. Richards’ expertise includes accident reconstruction and injury biomechanics. He specializes in vehicle dynamics, occupant dynamics, occupant restraint systems, simulation of human kinematics, and injury tolerance. Mr. Richards has analyzed hundreds of accidents and accidental injuries involving transportation, the workplace, and sport. This includes the investigation and reconstruction of rollover, frontal, side, and rear-end collisions as well as bicycle and motorcycle accidents. Mr. Richards has conducted full-scale automotive sled tests and crash tests using anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) in order to evaluate injury potential. In addition, Mr. Richards has conducted research utilizing ATDs in order to evaluate the performance of bicycle, motorcycle, and snow helmets. He has analyzed occupant protection and the performance of automotive restraint systems, and has tested seatbelts, pretensioners, front airbags, side airbags, and child restraint systems.

Mr. Richards has testified on issues involving accident reconstruction, injury biomechanics, and helmet protection. Mr. Richards has testified in both United States and Canada. Prior to joining Exponent, Mr. Richards was a consultant with Forensic Dynamics, Inc., and an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at Birmingham Southern College.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M, Thomas R, Hurlen N, Lam T. Pediatric head and neck injuries in snow sports: Evaluating the Influence of Helmets. Journal of ASTM International, in press.

Richards D, Carhart M, Raasch C, Pierce J, Steffey D, Ostarello A. Incidence for thoracic and lumbar spine injuries for restrained occupants in frontal collisions. Proceedings, 50th Annual Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, Chicago, IL, October 16–18, 2006.

Scher I, Cargill R, Vijayakumar V, Richards D, Kuzel M. Examining bumper cars as a surrogate for low-speed rear-end and frontal collisions. 5th World Congress of Biomechanics, Munich, Germany, July 2006.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M. Head Injury in snowboarding: Evaluating the protective role of helmets. Journal of ASTM International 2006; 3(4), April (Paper ID JAI14203). Also: Skiing Trauma and Safety, Sixteenth Volume, ASTM STP 9034, 2006.

Newberry W, Lai W, Carhart M, Richards D, Brown J, Raasch C. Modeling the effects of seat belt pretensioners on occupant kinematics during rollover. Presented at 2006 World Congress, Detroit, MI. SAE Paper No. 2006-01-0246. 2006 Transactions Journal of Passenger Cars: Mechanical Systems, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 2006.

Yamaguchi G, Ashby B, Lai W, Carhart M, Richards D, Ford Corrigan C. Occupant mechanics in rollover simulations of high and low aspect ratio vehicles. Presented at 2006 World Congress, Detroit, MI. SAE Paper No. 2006-01-0451, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 2006.

Kuzel M, Werner S, Richards D. The effect of stiffness coefficients on output variables in EDSMAC4 simulations. Presented at 2006 World Congress, Detroit, MI. SAE Paper No. 2006-01-1396, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 2006.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M. Head contact after catching an edge: An examination of snowboarding helmets. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 2006; 14(1):97, January.

Richards D, Scher I, Vijayakumar V, Carhart M, Larson R, Taylor S, Ford Corrigan C. Repetitive head loading: Accelerations during cyclic, everyday activities. Proceedings, XXth Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Cleveland, OH, July 2005.

Scher I, Richards D. Vijayakumar V, Carhart M, Ford Corrigan C, Jaekel D. Coronal head accelerations during vigorous activities of daily living. Proceedings, Summer Bioengineering Conference, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Vail, CO, June 2005.

Lai W, Ewers B, Richards D, Carhart M, Newberry W, Ford Corrigan C. Evaluation of human surrogate models for rollover. Presented at 2005 World Congress, Detroit, MI. SAE Paper No. 2005-01-0941, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 2005.

Yamaguchi G, Carhart M, Larson R, Richards D, Pierce J, Raasch C, Scher I, Ford Corrigan C. Electromyographic activity and posturing of the human neck during rollover tests. Presented at 2005 World Congress, Detroit, MI, SAE Paper No. 2005-01-0302, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 2005.

Yamaguchi G, Richards D, Larson R, Carhart M, Cargill R, Lai W, Ford Corrigan C. Development of a computational method to predict occupant motions and neck loads during rollovers. Presented at 2005 World Congress, Detroit, MI, SAE Paper No. 2005-01-0300, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 2005.

Richards D. Investigation of golf club inertial properties through biomechanical analysis and modeling. Thesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, May, 1999.

Invited Talks and Presentations

Richards D, Scher I. Staying ahead of the game—Design, protection and limitations of recreational sports helmets. DRI Product Liability Conference, Product Liability in the Global Economy, Phoenix, AZ, February 7, 2008.

Richards D. Guest Faculty, Arizona State Bar Association’s College of Trial Advocacy Mock Trials, Phoenix, AZ, July 2007.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M. Pediatric head and neck injuries: Evaluating the influence of helmets. 17th International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Aviemore, Scotland, May 2007.

Richards D, Carhart M, Scher I. Kinematics of a snowboard fall: Implications for snowboard helmet testing. 17th International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Aviemore, Scotland, May 2007.

Richards D. Guest Faculty, Arizona State Bar Association’s College of Trial Advocacy Mock Trials, Phoenix, AZ, July 2006.

Richards D. Helmet safety. Intrawest 2006 Risk Management Conference, Stratton, VT, June 2006.

Richards D, Carhart M, Scher I. A comprehensive look at helmet safety. National Ski Area Association, Winter Conference, Squaw Valley, CA, March 2006.

Richards D, Scher I, Carhart M. Snow helmets and head injury. ASTM Summer Meeting of Committee F27 on Snow Skiing, July 2005.

Richards D. Guest Faculty, Arizona State Bar Association’s College of Trial Advocacy Mock Trials, Phoenix, AZ, July 2005.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M. Head contact after catching an edge: An examination of snowboarding helmets. 16th International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Arai, Niigata, Japan, April 2005.

Richards D. Education in biomechanics and mechanical engineering. The University College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC, January 2002.

Yamaguchi G, Richards D. Development of a dynamic method of balancing golf clubs to one another. Future of Golfers Conference, World Scientific Congress of Golf Trust, Tempe, AZ, March 11–15, 2001.

Richards D. Injury biomechanics and biomechanics research. The University College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC, February 2001.

Richards D. Biomechanics in the field of accident reconstruction. Practice Tips Section Meeting, Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, September 2000.

Richards D. Biomechanics in the field of accident reconstruction. Meeting of the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, September 2000.

• Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, Birmingham Southern College, 2002–2003
• Senior Engineer, Forensic Dynamics, Inc., 2000–2003
• Engineer, Biomechanics Research and Consulting, Inc., 1998–2000
  

• American Society for Testing and Materials—ASTM
  – Committee F27 on Snow Skiing
  – Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities
• International Society of Biomechanics—ISB
• Society of Automotive Engineers—SAE