Commercial trucks contain “black boxes,” which are devices that control engines, monitor sensors, and store data. These can include event data recorders (EDRs), electronic control modules (ECMs), and engine control units (ECUs). Some store years’ worth of data, while others track only the recent past, but in most cases, these devices can help determine the truck’s state just before an accident. If you’ve been involved in a traffic accident with a commercial truck, the truck’s black box, or boxes, may be an important factor in your case.
Black boxes contain valuable pieces of data about the vehicle, such as how much time it has operated within particular ranges of speed, its highest recorded speed, and how quickly it decelerated in the accident. For commercial trucks, there are also other data sources and telematics systems, such as CalAmp, Lynx, Qualcomm, and Siemens, which can help investigators to determine how quickly the truck went from point A to point B and what routes it took to its destination.
The truck driver’s cell phone may also potentially shed light on the accident’s circumstances. If the driver was using the phone to text, talk, or browse the internet while driving, this will certainly be taken into account and the phone itself can provide all evidence. It may also contain GPS data that can independently demonstrate the truck’s speed and routes the day the accident occurred.
Another valuable source of data is the truck’s company office. The dispatch system may contain broker and client information as well as communication via text message or telematics system between the driver and the office. Maintenance record systems may contain details about services performed, and human resources (HR) systems contain information about the driver’s training, sick leave, and other circumstances of employment.
Accident victims should be mindful that data from these company office systems can be altered and manipulated for the benefit of the company. Fortunately, manipulation of electronic evidence can be detected, including by reviewing the raw data, and the help of an experienced injury attorney is crucial to secure this evidence and ensure that you will see justice served for your accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, contact America’s Consumer Lawyer for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.
Lastly, America’s Consumer Lawyer is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.
