Why “Black Box” Data Often Plays a Key Role in Truck Accident Cases

When you need to seek financial compensation for a truck accident, proving why the accident happened is a key step in the process. One type of evidence that is frequently used in commercial truck accident cases is the truck’s “black box” data. Modern commercial trucks continuously collect various forms of data, and accessing this data can be key to securing the financial compensation victims and their families deserve. Learn more from an experienced Florida truck accident lawyer at Searcy Denney:

What is “Black Box” Data?

Today, most 18-wheelers and other large commercial trucks have onboard computers that are constantly tracking the truck’s operation and gathering information about the truck’s other onboard systems. This onboard computer is commonly referred to as a “black box,” borrowing the term from the commercial aviation industry.

While commercial trucks’ “black boxes” collect numerous forms of data, in most truck accident cases, the most important types of data are:

• Speed – Speed is a common factor in all types of motor vehicle collisions, including commercial truck accidents. If a commercial truck’s “black box” data show that the truck driver was speeding at the time of the collision, this could be key to proving liability.
• Throttle Position – Throttle position can be a key piece of data as well. This indicates how hard the truck driver was pressing the gas pedal at the time of—and in the moments leading up to—the crash. If the data show that the truck driver was still maintaining a steady pace or accelerating when he or she should have been braking, this could be key for proving liability as well.
• Brake Application – Did the truck driver apply the brakes before the collision? Or, was the driver too distracted, fatigued or impaired to attempt to avoid a crash? If the truck’s onboard data show that the truck driver failed to apply the brakes, this could also serve as proof that the truck driver could—and should—have done more to prevent a serious or fatal accident.
• Brake Pressure – Along with whether the truck driver applied the brakes, the amount of brake pressure the truck driver applied can also be highly relevant to determining liability. As just one example, if a truck driver slams on the brakes instead of applying brake pressure gradually, this can cause a loss of control (and potentially cause a jackknife in the case of an accident involving a tractor-trailer).
• Steering Inputs – Commercial trucks’ “black boxes” also generally record the truck driver’s steering inputs. Here, too, the data can assist with proving various forms of negligence. Did the truck driver swerve too sharply? Did the truck driver fail to swerve in time to avoid a collision? These are just two examples of several possible grounds for seeking just compensation.
• Location Data – Commercial trucks’ “black boxes” typically record location data as well. Location data can be used to show speed, direction of travel, trip time, number of consecutive hours driven, and several other pieces of information that can be key to proving a truck driver is legally responsible for causing a collision.
• Hours of Service – The hours of service recorded by a commercial truck’s “black box” can point to fatigue as a possible factor in a collision. This information can also help with establishing a violation of the federal trucking regulations that limit how much time commercial truck drivers can spend behind the wheel.

Again, these are not the only types of data that may be available, but they are among the most important types of data in most cases. If you need to seek financial compensation after a serious or fatal truck accident in Florida, it will be well worth hiring an experienced Florida truck accident lawyer who can seek to examine the truck’s “black box” data and determine what it means for your case.

Understanding the Role of “Black Box” Data in Truck Accident Cases

In serious and fatal truck accident cases, the truck’s “black box” data can come into play in various ways. Here are three examples of how an experienced Florida truck accident lawyer may be able to use the available data to prove your legal rights:

1. Proving Truck Driver Negligence

Most commercial truck accidents are the result of negligence behind the wheel. Speeding, braking too late, braking too harshly, and driving while distracted or fatigued are all clear examples of negligence under Florida law. If the truck’s “black box” data prove that the truck driver’s negligence was a factor in the collision, this alone could be enough to establish a claim for liability.

2. Proving Trucking Company Negligence

Along with truck driver negligence, trucking company negligence is a factor in some cases as well. For example, if the trucking company hired an unqualified driver, allowed the driver to spend too many hours behind the wheel, or failed to adequately maintain the truck (which could also show up in the truck’s “black box” data in various ways), this could also provide clear grounds to seek financial compensation under Florida law.

3. Proving Truck Defects

Finally, in some cases, the truck’s “black box” data could show that the truck driver and the trucking company did everything right. In this scenario, the data could point to an issue with the truck itself. Truck defects are alarmingly common, and when a truck defect causes a serious or fatal accident, the truck’s manufacturer can be held fully accountable for the victim’s or family’s accident-related losses.

Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Florida Truck Accident Lawyer at Searcy Denney

At Searcy Denney, we have decades of experience helping victims and families seek just compensation after serious and fatal truck accidents in Florida. If you need to speak with a lawyer about filing a claim, we strongly encourage you to contact us right away. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Florida truck accident lawyer as soon as possible, call us at 800-780-8607 or tell us how we can contact you online now.