The tasks of verifying evidence at the scene during the investigation of road traffic crimes

Subject of the study: patterns of collecting, examining, evaluating, and using evidence during the on-site investigation in the case of road traffic crimes. By identifying these patterns, the author emphasizes the practical importance of clarifying the objectives of on-site examination for the law enforcer, as it enables them to effectively plan and prepare for this investigative action in the investigation of this category of criminal cases. Special attention is given to possible investigative situations in which each of the examined objectives may be relevant to the law enforcer specifically in the investigation of road traffic crimes. The author analyzes literary sources to establish the most optimal list of objectives for this investigative action, refers to the criminal procedural legislation of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as to materials from judicial practice. The methodological basis of the study: method of critical analysis (examined the objectives of on-site examination highlighted by different authors), method of legal modeling (analysis of Article 194 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation), comparative legal method (analysis of criminal procedural legislation of CIS countries), and observation method (the author used official statistical data and examples from judicial practice). Scientific novelty of the research: the author examines the objectives of the on-site investigation of road traffic crimes at a monographic level in the absence of similar studies over the past twenty years. The author summarizes new material on the topic: official statistical data for 2023 and 2024, examples from judicial practice for 2024, as well as the author's experience in investigating road traffic crimes in the position of investigator. Main conclusions of the study: first, conclusions about highlighting specific objectives of the on-site investigation as a result of literature and criminal procedural legislation analysis, such as the objective of determining the details of the incident loci; second, conclusions about the author's formulations of some highlighted objectives, such as the search by the verified person for traces, items, and documents; third, a conclusion about the necessity of grouping all considered objectives based on their significance in the investigation of road traffic crimes and the current legislative regulation in the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation into primary and additional ones.

road traffic accidents, road traffic offences, criminal investigation, investigative actions, investigation of road traffic offences, verification of testimony, forensic tactics, forensic methodology, tasks of verification testimony, CPCs of the CIS states