Does a Big Rig Truck Have a Black Box?
What is a Black Box?
A black box refers to a safety mechanism historically used in the aviation industry to track data during flights. Black boxes have now expanded outside the aviation industry to include the commercial trucking industry.
Most big rig trucks now have this device to track the likely causes of accidents and improve safety measures. However, whilst the majority of trucks have a black box, not every commercial truck does.
Black boxes, also known as event data recorders, enable governmental regulators to ensure safety of the trucking industry. They also serve a retrospective purpose, allowing crash victims to determine the causes of their accidents.
Black Box Information
A truck’s black box records an immense amount of data while the truck is being driven. It registers and records the data either within the box or by sending it to a data center. This enables the relevant parties to determine the causes of the accidents on the road and ascertain which parties are at fault. It records:
- The exact coordinates of the accident
- The speed of the truck at the time of the collision
- The average speed of the truck
- Whether the driver was using cruise control
- The truck’s mechanical status
- The positions of the tires and steering wheel
- If the truck driver applied the brakes
- Hard braking or abrupt stops
- If the trucker was wearing a seat belt
- If airbags were deployed
Through this recording, if a truck driver was speeding, applying their brakes incorrectly, driving erratically, or acting illegally at the time of your accident, the truck’s black box may have information to prove your claim.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer
To access a truck’s black box information following an accident, it is important to ensure you have a truck accident attorney. Time is essential to this area of the law and specialized lawyers can make immediate contact and file paperwork to acquire and preserve a truck’s black box information.
The lawyer may file an order to preserve which requires the receiving party to preserve information that may be used as evidence. Truck accident lawyers are skilled at analyzing black box information to prove negligence or help with your claim.
Personal Injury Lawyers Here to Help
Joseph H. Low IV lawyers are experts in truck accident lawsuits. If you or a loved one have been injured or killed in an accident involving a big rig truck, The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV can navigate your legal rights and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Call us at (562) 901-0840 today.