PDQ (Paint Data Query)
Definition
RCMP-maintained international automotive paint database. Stores binder, pigment and layer data for vehicle original-equipment finishes from major manufacturers. Used to narrow a paint chip to make, model and year range.
- Database size
- Over 75,000 automotive OEM paint formulations
- Coverage period
- 1976 to present
- Maintained by
- RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
- Key data fields
- Binder, pigment composition, and paint layer structure
Common questions
What is PDQ used for in forensic casework?+
PDQ is a reference database forensic examiners use to match paint chips from crime scenes to specific vehicle makes, models, and year ranges. By comparing a paint chip's binder, pigment composition, and layer structure to PDQ's records, investigators can narrow down which vehicles could have left that paint at a hit-and-run or collision scene.
How much paint data does PDQ contain?+
PDQ contains over 75,000 automotive paint formulations from major OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) dating back to 1976. This extensive coverage means the database can often match even older vehicles.
Who maintains PDQ and can it be used internationally?+
The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) maintains PDQ as an international resource. Because it covers major vehicle manufacturers globally, it's the primary reference tool for vehicle identification casework across many jurisdictions.
Related terms
- BNS 2023 § 106
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 provision criminalising causing death by negligence; the primary charging provision for fatal hit-and-run cases in India, with enhanced...
- EUCAP
- European Collection of Automotive Paints, maintained at the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) in Wiesbaden; the European counterpart to PDQ for automotive hit-and-run paint comparison.
- ASTM E2927
- Standard test method for the determination of trace elements in glass samples using LA-ICP-MS; specifies the element suite, calibration standards (NIST SRM...
- Binder
- The polymer matrix that holds pigments in place and bonds the paint to the substrate. Identifies paint type (alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane, epoxy)...
- BKA (Bundeskriminalamt)
- German Federal Criminal Police Office; custodian of EUCAP and primary German forensic laboratory for automotive paint comparison.
- Cold Filament Failure
- Fracture of a tungsten bulb filament below operational temperature; characterised by a clean, brittle transverse fracture with no deformation and no oxide...
- Cross-Section Mount
- Embedding a paint chip in resin, polishing to a flat face, and viewing under reflected light at 100 to 400 times magnification...
- Direct Comparison
- Side-by-side physical and spectroscopic comparison of the questioned chip with a sample from the suspect vehicle; the mandatory final stage in any...
- ENFSI EPG
- Expert Working Group on Paint (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes); produced the European paint-examination protocol and promoted EUCAP development.
- ENFSI FIRM
- Forensic Intelligence and Reporting Model; verbal LR scale from 'inconclusive' through 'limited', 'moderate', 'strong', and 'very strong' support used in European trace-evidence...
- FCIN
- Forensic Collision Investigation Network (UK); provides standardised protocols for fatal and serious-injury collision forensic examination, including paint, glass, tyre and filament examination.
- FSR Codes of Practice
- The Forensic Science Regulator's Codes of Practice and Conduct, made statutory by the Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021, setting mandatory quality standards...
Explained in these topics
- Paint Databases (PDQ, EUCAP) and Comparison CaseworkRCMP-maintained database of 75,000+ automotive OEM paint formulations from 1976 to present; the primary tool for vehicle identification in hit-and-run casework.
- Paint, Lacquer and Varnishes: Nature, Composition and Forensic ExaminationRCMP-maintained international automotive paint database. Stores binder, pigment and layer data for vehicle original-equipment finishes from major manufacturers...
- Vehicle Examination: Paint, Glass, Tyre, Headlight FilamentRCMP-maintained database of over 75,000 automotive paint formulations from major OEMs since 1976; the primary reference for vehicle-range identification from p...