How Data From A Semi-Truck’s Black Box Could Affect Your Claim

Most commercial vehicles are equipped with Event Data Recorders (EDRs), which are more commonly known as black boxes. These devices are integrated with a vehicle’s engine components and are designed to record a stream of data regarding the truck’s operations. This data can provide information that is crucial to determining the cause of a truck accident and helping injured parties recover compensation for their losses.

What Kind of Data Do Black Boxes Record?

Black boxes record a lot of information that can play an important role in creating a clearer picture of what happened on the date of the accident in question, including:

• The vehicle’s average overall speed prior to the collision;
• The vehicle’s highest speed before the crash;
• The amount of time the truck driver was on the road;
• Braking data, including how long it took the truck driver to hit the brakes prior to the crash;
• The truck’s average RPMs;
• The truck’s rate of acceleration;
• The vehicle’s idling time during the trip;
• Airbag performance;
• Seat belt usage; and
• The amount of time driven over 65 miles per hour.

In most cases, black boxes record this data for a certain period of time, usually 30 days, although some units record it for less time. When the recording capacity of black boxes is exceeded, the box will begin recording over it, essentially erasing all of the existing data. For this reason, it is important for injured parties and their attorneys to move quickly after an accident to preserve this data and keep it from being permanently erased.

How Black Box Data Can Strengthen Your Claim

Evidence taken from a truck’s black box is admissible in court and can corroborate a victim’s testimony regarding the events leading up to a crash. This data can also be used by experts to reconstruct an accident and establish liability by showing how fast the truck was traveling prior to the accident, if and when the truck driver attempted to brake, and whether the driver was distracted or fatigued at the time of the crash. Obtaining this data is extremely important in truck accident cases, where victims are much more likely to sustain serious and even catastrophic injuries, especially if they were occupying the smaller vehicle. For help obtaining the black box recording from your own truck accident, reach out to our legal team today.

Were You Hurt in a Truck Accident?

Being involved in any type of vehicle collision is stressful, but truck accident cases are notorious for being particularly complex, with trucking companies hiring well-funded legal teams that can draw a case out for months or even years. Fortunately, you don’t have to face these companies alone, but can work with an attorney, who can fight for your interests and help you seek compensation for your medical bills and lost wages. To learn more about how an experienced Fort Lauderdale truck accident attorney could help with your own case by quickly obtaining and preserving the black box data from your crash, call Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 today.

Sources:

science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/black-box.htm

iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/large-trucks