Posted on March 8, 2018
Have you ever heard of a “black box” in trucks? Black boxes are recorders implemented on commercial trucks that save data through a variety of sensors on the truck. They are great to have because they can record data that happens nearly seconds before an accident, which can be useful in your case. But are black boxes a requirement today?
Federal rules do not require every truck to carry a crash “black box.” What the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does require is that most interstate motor carriers use an electronic logging device (ELD) to record each driver’s hours of service (49 CFR 395.8). Many trucks also have an engine control module that may record information such as speed and braking. Together, this data can help show when a driver was on duty and how the truck was moving before a crash. Nobody wants to lose their lives in a truck accident, which is why these are great tools to preserve important data.
Obtaining Data on a Black Box
Preserving evidence after a truck accident is one of the most important steps in building a claim. Black boxes in truck accidents are some of the best evidence that you can possibly have after you have been involved in a life-changing accident with a commercial truck. However, there is one problem: Many companies are adamant that black boxes remain their property because they want to protect themselves from a lawsuit. You may find that, after a truck accident, it is not so easy to obtain this information. People in the past have found that companies even destroy evidence at times, ensuring that they will not owe compensation to a driver even though it was clearly their fault.
Black boxes are useful to many people after an accident because they can answer the very important question: “How did my truck accident actually occur?” Data collected can show that a truck driver was speeding where they weren’t supposed to, never stopped at a stop sign based on their location, or that they suddenly swerved with no explanation. This is why it is vital to speak to an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights and learn more about black boxes in truck accidents, and how they can help you.
You may be able to hold a truck driver liable for your accident if they have acted negligently in some way, ultimately leading to your accident. It is true that sometimes other people on the roads cause accidents and the blame gets pinned on the truck driver, but you know exactly what happened based on the evidence around you. If a driver is found liable, they will have to pay for damages like lost wages when you have to miss work because of your injuries, medical costs associated with your injuries in the past and future, and emotional suffering. We want to help you at Accident Law Group, where your accident case means everything to us and our desire to help you gain rightful compensation outweighs all. Call us as soon as possible to get started at 602-333-3333.
Sources
https://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=42670
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-395.8
https://accident-law.freeadvice.com/accident-law/auto/truck_accident_sue_driver.htm
