Not just a few photos, a rough sketch, or a cop's memory of where the cars ended up. That's the usual mistake. Scene mapping is the measured layout of an accident site - using tape measurements, total stations, drones, GPS, or laser scanning to pin down where vehicles, debris, skid marks, gouges, road edges, signs, and people were located. The point is simple: lock the scene into hard dimensions before weather, traffic, cleanup crews, or bad recollection wipe it out.

That matters because crash cases get argued over inches, angles, and timing. A solid scene map can support accident reconstruction, show whether a driver crossed a center line, prove where impact likely happened, or expose that a witness's story does not fit the physical evidence. If the map is sloppy, missing, or done too late, the other side gets room to invent a version of events that sounds clean but falls apart under real measurements.

In an injury claim, scene mapping can directly affect liability, comparative fault arguments, and the value of damages. Maryland is especially unforgiving because contributory negligence can bar recovery if the injured person is found even slightly at fault. Getting the scene documented early can make or break a case. And because Maryland generally gives only 3 years to file most personal injury lawsuits under Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-101, waiting around is a good way to lose evidence that will never come back.