Paint Transfer
Definition
Layers of paint left on a struck vehicle, pedestrian's clothing, or roadside object during contact. The layer sequence, ordered from primer outward, is signature evidence linking a specific vehicle.
- Evidence type
- Physical trace, layer sequence
- Order read
- Primer outward to top coat
- Common context
- Hit-and-run, vehicle-to-vehicle collision
- Analysis methods
- Microscopy, FTIR, pyrolysis GC-MS
Common questions
Why does the order of paint layers matter more than just matching colour?+
Colour alone is common across many vehicles of the same model, but the full sequence of primer, base coat, and clear coat, each with its own chemistry, is close to unique to a manufacturer's production run, which is what supports individualisation.
What limits the strength of a paint transfer match?+
A match confirms the transferred paint is consistent with the suspect vehicle's paint system, not that no other vehicle could produce the same layer sequence, since vehicles from the same assembly line share identical paint formulations.
Related terms
- Braking Mark
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- Drag Factor (μ)
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- EDR (Event Data Recorder)
- An onboard module that records pre-crash speed, throttle, brake application, steering input and seatbelt status for several seconds before airbag deployment. The...
- Gouge Mark
- A scrape or trench cut into the pavement when a metal component (frame, axle, undercarriage) strikes the road during or after impact....
- Yaw Mark
- A curved, striated tyre impression produced when a vehicle slides at an angle to its direction of travel during a steered or...