If you were recently involved in a truck accident, one piece of critical evidence that may help show why the accident happened and who is responsible is the black box in the truck. An experienced San Antonio truck accident lawyer will know how to preserve the valuable data stored within this device and how to use it most effectively to support your legal claim.
What Is a Truck’s Black Box?
Like with aircraft, a black box or event data recorder records critical data leading up to the crash. Accident reconstruction experts can use the information stored in this device to help determine the factors that contributed to the accident. Black boxes are installed in most modern trucks and record specific data about the operation of a truck, including the following:
- Speed: The truck’s speed immediately before and at the time of the accident, which may indicate the truck driver was speeding or traveling too fast for conditions
- Braking: When the brakes were applied, which could indicate distracted driving if they were applied immediately before the collision
- Throttle position: Shows whether the driver accelerated or tried to decelerate near the time of the crash
- Engine RPM: The truck’s engine performance, which could indicate mechanical issues or a lack of maintenance
- Airbag deployment: When airbags were activated, which can show the exact time of the crash
- Hours of operation: The hours the truck driver worked that day and on other days, which could indicate fatigued driving or a violation of hours of service rules
The specific information that is recorded will depend on the truck and black box model, but it could prove invaluable in your case.
Why Does Black Box Data Matter in a Truck Accident?
Trucking companies make millions of dollars by delivering goods across the United States. When they are responsible for truck crashes, they try to do everything they can to deny liability. They may blame the victim or other parties. Black box data can help provide objective information that can help explain how the crash happened and who is responsible.
Using the data points discussed above, black box data can help determine whether the truck driver was speeding, appropriately braked, and followed hours of service rules. Black box data could also indicate problems with the vehicle’s maintenance, which can establish the fault of the trucking company or the maintenance company. Accident reconstruction experts can use this critical data to recreate the events leading up to the crash.
Legal Representation Matters
Because black box data is so crucial in proving fault in your case, you must work with an experienced San Antonio accident lawyer. Trucking companies will not willingly hand over this valuable information, and they are only required to maintain certain records for a limited amount of time. A lawyer can help preserve this data and work with experts who can extract and interpret the data contained within.
If you would like to request a free case review or discuss black box data in more detail, contact George Salinas Injury Lawyers today..
Contact George Salinas Injury Lawyers for Help with Your Out-of-State Driver Accident Claim
If you were injured in an accident in Texas involving a driver from another state, call George Salinas Injury Lawyers. We can gather evidence to prove fault, discuss your legal options for recovering financial compensation, and provide legal representation through every stage of your case.