Why do plod frown on drivers that have not shown a skid mark,when they have hit a car,they say the driver had not taken avoiding action,then the driver gets a longer jail term.
If your skidding then your not in control and cannot take avoiding action, that’s what ABS is for to allow the driver to control the vehicle in an emergency situation.
i wait with baited breath
I’d guess its because the skid shows you’ve seen the obstruction and braked rather than not seeing it and carrying on into it without reacting [asleep, texting etc]
Some times you don’t have time to apply brakes, how many times has a car squeezed in front of you as you approach a slip road and then braked to give them some braking distance?
toby1234abc:
Why do plod frown on drivers that have not shown a skid mark,when they have hit a car,they say the driver had not taken avoiding action,then the driver gets a longer jail term.
they will know when u hit the brakes by looking at your digi
wot no rude jokes…skidding…losing control etc 
There was a tv documentary about a two drivers in a 7.5 tonner that went up the back of a car and killed the young lady driver,the driver denied using the firms phone,the police proved that he did,he originaly stated that it was a new phone and that the passenger was playing around with it.Near to the RTC point,there was a sign warning of traffic queues,the police took the same route in a similar vehicle.The clever bit was they tested the glass from the ladys back brake lights to forensicaly test to see if they working at the point of impact.He did not have time to put his brakes on.
Remember the Portuguese driver that was looking at his lap top,wiped out an entire family,he is out of jail now.The police can see if you have deleted texts and phone calls,big brother is watching us.
mechanic77:
I’d guess its because the skid shows you’ve seen the obstruction and braked rather than not seeing it and carrying on into it without reacting [asleep, texting etc]
Even with ABS as mentioned by Tj82, there are marks left when it goes on and off on the road surface miniscule piles of grit etc, that’s why a motorway may be shut into the morning if an overnight incident occurs and they need the sun to come up to see things,
Some of the cars/trucks get in fantastic places miles up/down bankings with no sign of braking pretty much as mechanic says.
The myths about brake lights being on or off is also proveable, as they are in different states.
One of the boys out on the motorway patch did nigh on twenty years as an accident investigator, and has loads of mad/sad and interesting tales of accidents.
Travelling speeds can be worked out to within a couple of miles an hr at impact, if a vehicle is travelling over grass if it was braking/steering or not at the time there are all sorts of tricks to work things out,
They always start looking way before the impact spot for little clues.
There are the skid marks on his underwear too 
NOW we`re talking