Dr. Mortimer is an engineering psychologist with over 30 years experience providing human factors expert witness testimony on behalf of plaintiff and defense attorneys in cases involving traffic crashes, vehicle design and other products, warnings, alcohol, driver performance, visibility in night driving, response time, as well as in work, home and recreational situations.
Dr. Mortimer left the University of Illinois, where he was Professor of Safety & Accident Prevention, in January, 2000.
Before joining the University of Illinois in 1975, he was Head of the Human Factors Department at the Highway Safety Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Prior to that he was Senior Research Psychologist at the Research Laboratories of General Motors Corporation, Warren, Michigan. He received the Ph.D degree from Purdue University in 1963. He is certified as a Human Factors Professional (CHFP) by the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics.
His research has been concerned with visibility in night driving, development of vehicle headlighting and marking and signaling systems, instrumentation and controls, driver-vehicle braking and handling, rear and forward visibility, motorcycle lighting and braking systems, motorcycle rider training, effects of alcohol on driving performance, etc. He has studied age factors, spatial disorientation, controlled flight into terrain, illness, stress, drugs and fatigue in aviation accidents.
He is a fellow of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, the National Association of Railroad Safety Consultants and Investigators and the Association of Aviation Psychologists. He is certified as a commercial pilot with multi-engine and instrument ratings.
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A: BA Psychology, New York University; MA Industrial Psychology, New York University;
PhD Industrial/experimental Psychology, Purdue University.
Board Certified Human Factors Professional, CHFP.
Member of the Institute of the Motor Industry, MIMI (UK).
Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
A: Human Factors & Ergonomics Society; Society of Automotive Engineers; National Association of Railroad Safety Consultants & Investigators;
Assoc for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine;
Assoc of Aviation Psychologists
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: Professor of Safety & Accident Prevention, Univ of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1975-2000. Adjunct Professor, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1968-1975.
Presented over 250 technical conference papers.
Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
A: No
Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
A: Have provided expert witness consulting, testimony at deposition or trial for over 30 years and approximately 500 cases.
Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
A: Issues involving human factors in driver or other operator performance or in design of equipment such as motor vehicles and machine tools. Mostly human factors in traffic accidents, visibility, night driving, lighting, alcohol effects, response time, railroad crossing and yard safety.
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
A: About 50%
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
A: About 50%
Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
A: Estimate about 450 times
Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
A: December 2006
Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
A: Always
Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
A: Estimate 80
Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
A: Over 35
Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
A: Analysis, site inspections, photometry, computer simulation, driver performance analysis in terms of detection, perception, decision making, effects of expectancy and stress, response time, failure analysis, report preparation, general consulting.
Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
A: Provided on request
Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
A: Provided on request.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
A: Provided on request
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
A: Provided on request
Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
A: Expenses for supplies, copying, equipment rental, airfares, etc., charged at cost. Personal aircraft $360/hr of engine time with no added charge for travel time other than ground travel time.
