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Some of the most important information about a truck wreck can come from the black box or event data recorder on 18-wheelers. Reaching the critical information before it is destroyed can be a crucial step for your legal representatives.
Event data recorders typically display the vehicle’s speed in the crucial seconds leading up to a truck accident, along with other vital information, such as RPMs and critical brake application data. Getting a semi truck black box lawyer in Houston should be a first step after a serious trucking accident.
Black boxes are computer modules, also called “event data recorders” (EDRs). An EDR will be found on most modern tractor-trailers and passenger cars on the road today. An EDR will record speed before and during an accident, Braking, and even evasive maneuvers or the absence of evasive actions.
Truck drivers, like many other drivers, tend to recall how an accident happened in a manner most favorable to themselves. This is particularly true after they have met with their defense attorney.
Obtaining crash data from the black box can help curb the truck driver’s imagination about how the accident happened, at least regarding the vehicle’s speed and braking application.
Downloading the data requires specialized equipment and expertise. Hiring an attorney for a truck accident can enable the retrieval of the necessary evidence,
Many families believe there is no rush to obtain legal representation after a serious accident, because they doubt the truck driver or trucking company can reasonably deny responsibility. This is generally a major mistake. Getting the best 18-wheeler lawyer early is a must. Truck EDR data in Texas accidents can be critical evidence, and truck accident evidence preservation is important in some collisions.
In some truck crashes, the event data recorder information may not be critically important, and these cases often have numerous eyewitnesses, many of whom are other motorists traveling near the big rig.
In other truck accidents, the computer data from the black box can be extremely important evidence for reconstructing the accident and properly apportioning responsibility.
Recently, many defense interests and truck accident lawsuits have been pushing to put the truck back in service as quickly as possible after an accident, effectively preventing the victim’s family from preserving the evidence and obtaining critical facts from the black box or the vehicle itself.
49 CFR Part 563 establishes rules for black boxes or EDRs, which record data useful in accident investigation. The law applies to cars and trucks made after September 1, 2012.
Commercial truck event data recorders can store weeks or months of driving data. The most valuable information for accident cases includes speed and velocity in the seconds before, during, and after impact, as well as braking data showing when and how hard the driver applied the brakes.
Engine performance data, such as RPM readings and throttle position, can indicate whether a driver was accelerating when they should have been slowing down.
Other data points a truck black box may record include:
Many modern trucks also have electronic logging devices (ELDs) that track hours of service. When analyzed together with EDR data, this information can reveal whether driver fatigue contributed to a crash.
The specific data available depends on the truck’s make, model, and year. An experienced Houston truck accident lawyer will know what evidence may be available and how to obtain it before it is lost or overwritten.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a truck accident and speed or braking may have played a part in the accident, contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
One piece of evidence that is sometimes available is the “black box” data. The black box is essentially an electronic data recorder, a computer that monitors and reports information when specific events occur.
Typically, in the event of a sudden change in velocity or impact, a black box will record some or all of the following information: brake application, RPM, truck speed, gear, and other important data for accident reconstruction.
Commercial vehicles are equipped with data recorders. An experienced truck wreck attorney will know if a download is needed to build a strong case. 18-wheelers have the event recorders. Downloading the black box data can prevent a truck driver from testifying to false information, such as their speed right before the crash.
It takes a trained technician to download the crash data from the black box or event recorder. Sometimes the data can help the truck driver explain the circumstances of the accident. Other times, the data is at odds with the truck driver’s testimony or statements to police at the scene.
Often, the recorded data confirms the objective findings at the crash site. Factors such as skid marks, vehicle crush, crash debris, and points of impact serve as powerful tools for reconstructing the wreck.
When someone is involved in a serious injury 18 or accident, or if the family has lost a loved one in a tractor-trailer crash, obtaining the black box data is critical to successfully prosecuting a truck wreck lawsuit.
Victims of a truck accident or family members who have lost a loved one due to an 18-wheeler crash must understand the importance of early investigation of the crash site and the vehicles involved.
One recent tactic employed by defense attorneys is to push for the big rig to be put back in service as soon as possible, which in some cases destroys evidence that could be obtained from an onboard computer or a “black box”.
While police officers at the scene may indicate that the accident was the truck driver’s fault, the officer’s findings are not binding on the trucking company or the truck driver. In cases involving very serious injury or wrongful death, you can expect the truck driver and the trucking company to dispute the cause of the crash and their responsibility.
It is crucial that families retain experienced, successful attorneys who have handled this type of case as a practice specialty. With serious injuries from a truck accident, you need the best truck accident attorney in Houston. You do not want an attorney learning how to prosecute a truck accident case on your matter. Here are the practice areas we handle.
Read More: How do I File a Claim After a Truck Accident?
Who you hire really does count. For a free, no-obligation consultation on a serious injury or wrongful death truck accident, contact the Houston truck wreck law firm to discuss your rights and options.
Put our quick response team to work proving your case!
Related Resources:
What can be Obtained in an Early Investigation of a Tractor-Trailer Accident?
Evidence That Should be Collected to Win a Truck Accident Case
Critical Evidence to Win 18-Wheeler Accident Cases
What are the Steps to Take Following an 18-Wheeler Accident?
