Mars is a self-contained program. There are no runtimes needed. The reports are accepted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. I started this endeavor about 4 years ago in an attempt to build a better mousetrap. In that time, there have been many many enhancements to the software. I have added diagramming and now a complete report can be completed whether it be on the department's network, a standalone computer or a laptop mounted in a patrol car. There is wide versatility to where and when a report can be completed.
The software can handle any combination of up to 8 vehicles and 8 pedestrians. You can up to 51 pages of narratives on Win ME and earlier systems and unlimited narratives on newer operating systems. You can enter up to 129 occupants plus up to the 8 drivers and pedestrians.
All four supplements are included - Witnesses, Other Occupants, Narrative and Train. You can print/preview the report and/or save it as its own exe file and send it to anyone with a computer. ?The manuals for Mars and the diagramming are included as Help files. You can search for reports by date, time, street, intersecting street, driver name, officer name and dsn. (or any combination.)
After finding the reports, you can do a stat summary or a high accident location check. This information can be printed in report form. The report includes: TIME, DAY OF WEEK, MONTH, TRAFFIC CONTROL, DRIVER AGE AND SEX, CONTRIBUTING CIRCUMSTANCES, WEATHER, ROAD CONDITION, ROAD MAINTAINED AND ACCIDENT TYPE
With auto-fill capabilities, as you type, the program looks for what you are typing and will automatically fill in the street name, vehicle make, officer name and reviewing officer names. There is a file to store all tow companies that you use and with the click of a button, that tow company name, address and phone number are inserted into the report.
There is the main progam narrative and up to five supplement narratives. Each has spellcheck.
The diagramming module contains everything you need to do a complete diagram. You can even scan in your own pre-drawn accident locations and use them as templates. The diagrams attach to the accident report and print on page 2 of the report. You even have the option to print the diagram on page 2 of a state-supplied form. The diagrams are saved as jpegs.
There is a registration key to enter the first time you use the software to ensure only registered users.
File Lock has been added. Now an authorized person can lock a report and file after it has been approved. That keeps the report from being accidentally or purposely changed.
Evidentiary Photos. Section 8, page 2 of the accident report deals with photos of the accident. With the advent of the digital camera, more and more photos are being taken at even minor accident scenes. Now, you can attach those photos to the report and print a photo supplement. This would be very handy for organizing photos, having a ready-made report for court, insurance companies and attornies.
The help file is extensive. All manuals are included as extensive help files. You can turn on and off pop-up help. (This where you point the mouse to a textbox and a small balloon pops up to give you details on how to fill in the required information for that field.) Also from the program, you can open the state preperation manual (pdf) or the MoDot location book (pdf) for viewing. (The MoDot location book is different for each area of the state. The Help files give exact instructions to getting your book and setting it up.)
There are probably a lot of little bells and whistles I am missing but this gives a good rundown of the program and its capabilities. The bottom line is that I want you to be fully satisfied with my product. I offer free bug fixes and upgrades.
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