Footwear or tire impressions are best described as which type of evidence?

• A. Impression evidence
• B. Toolmark evidence
• C. Biological evidence
• D. Trace evidence

Answer: (A)

Footwear and tire impressions are an example of impression evidence because the pattern of a sole or tread is transferred into a surface, creating a visible imprint that records the design, size, and wear of the object. This imprint can be analyzed and compared to a suspect’s footwear or a specific tire to help identify or exclude matches. It’s not toolmark evidence, which involves marks made by tools on another object, nor biological evidence, which involves living or once-living materials. While impression evidence is a form of pattern/trace evidence, the defining feature here is the actual imprint left by contact.