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We all know that today’s technology on vehicles has done a lot of things for us, but did you know it can also be used to prove fault in a truck or car accident? After an accident occurs, information can be downloaded from your vehicle that can give valuable information in the event you need to file a personal injury claim. Your Charleston personal injury attorney can help you obtain this valuable information.
How Can a “Black Box” Be Helpful?
The majority of vehicles manufactured in 2012 or after containing a type of black box, sometimes called an EDR, ECM, or CDR, that may record valuable evidence during your accident. This piece of equipment is much like the black boxes you have likely heard the news talk about when a plane has crashed. The black box in a vehicle can record evidence including, but not limited to, the following:
- The speed the vehicle was traveling before the impact
- The speed the vehicle was traveling at impact
- The angle the steering wheel was during impact
- Whether the passenger and driver were wearing seatbelts
- At what point the brakes were used prior to impact
- When the airbags deployed
Information from the driver’s vehicle who was at-fault can also be helpful in proving negligence. Determining negligence is important because it can play a role in determining how much compensation you will be entitled to. A vehicle black box may also be helpful in establishing punitive damages claims that can punish the at-fault party for their behavior, such as reckless driving.
What About Vehicles Prior to 2012?
If you or the other driver was operating a vehicle manufactured before 2012, there is still a possibility that the vehicle will include black box technology. General Motors was the first car manufacturing company to include black box technology in their vehicles. They began the installation of black boxes in the late 1990s. By the early 2000s, additional companies including Toyota, Nissan, and Ford had also started installing them. In 2012, the federal government finally created laws that all companies include this technology when available following very strict guidelines. The mandate required that all collision information was to be recorded, whether or not the airbags were deployed.
Act Immediately After a Crash to Preserve Information
If you have had a truck or car accident, it is important to consult with an attorney as quickly as possible so you don’t make any mistakes that could damage your lawsuit. A black box can produce multiple reports during a daily trip, so if you slam on your brakes too hard, a report will be generated. There have even been instances where a vehicle has deleted reports after inactivity or power failure.
Don’t take the chance of having this valuable information lost or deleted. Contact your experienced Charleston personal injury attorney immediately and have them determine if your vehicle has a black box or not. Time is of the essence in obtaining this information, so contact the attorneys at David Aylor Law Offices today to schedule a consultation.