One challenging aspect of New York commercial truck accident cases is proving who caused the crash. Without evidence from the scene, it can be difficult to know whose careless actions caused the collision and resulting injuries. Unfortunately, evidence from the crash scene is often hard to find, particularly if several days or weeks have passed since the initial truck collision. These factors are partly what make a truck’s black box data so valuable in your pursuit of fair compensation.
What Is a Commercial Truck’s Black Box?
A commercial truck’s black box—also called an event data recorder (EDR) or electronic control module (ECM)—captures vital information about the truck’s operation before, during, and after a crash. Much like similar devices in airplanes, these devices help investigators understand what happened in an accident.
While not every truck is required to have a black box, most newer commercial trucks come equipped with some form of data recorder. Moreover, federal regulations now require electronic logging devices (ELDs) in most commercial vehicles to track a driver’s operating hours, and many ELDs also record data that can be useful in accident investigations.
What Data Does a Truck’s Black Box Record?
While commercial truck black boxes are not identical, some information these devices typically gather includes:
- The truck’s speed
- Brake usage and timing
- Engine RPMs
- Throttle position
- Sudden stops or hard braking
- Whether the airbags deployed in a collision
- Whether the driver was wearing a seatbelt
- Cruise control status
- The truck’s GPS location and movement history
- The driver’s hours behind the wheel and rest periods
- Acceleration and deceleration patterns
- Steering activity
- Maintenance alerts and fault codes
How Does This Data Support Your New York Truck Accident Case?
One primary benefit of a truck’s black box data is that it provides unbiased information about what was happening with the vehicle leading up to and during the crash. You don’t need the truck driver’s statements about how fast they were going or when they applied the brakes when you can get objective data from the truck’s black box. Some information that a truck’s black box can provide that could help you in your fight for fair compensation include:
- Speed at the time of the crash – This data can show if the truck driver was speeding or traveling too fast for the road or weather conditions, which may support your argument that the driver was acting carelessly.
- Driver’s hours of service – Records of driving time can reveal whether the driver exceeded legal limits or skipped required rest breaks, pointing to fatigue as a contributing factor in the crash.
- Steering inputs – Unusual or abrupt steering movements during or leading up to the collision may indicate that errors or unsafe maneuvers caused the crash.
- Maintenance alerts or fault codes – Evidence of mechanical problems that were ignored could point to carelessness by the trucking company or maintenance provider.
Who Controls a Truck’s Black Box Data?
The trucking company or truck owner typically controls the black box data. Therefore, they decide how long to store the data and who can access it. That’s why it’s crucial to speak with a lawyer immediately after a crash. Your attorney can send a legal notice to the black box’s owner to preserve the data before it disappears.
Contact Our New York Commercial Truck Accident Lawyers
Jaroslawicz & Jaros, PLLC, has recovered over $2 billion in compensation for our clients, including millions for commercial truck accident victims. We can recover and analyze the truck’s black box data to bolster your claim, and we’ll handle all the other legal work in your case while you focus on healing. Call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation.
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