Understanding Black Box Data in Oklahoma Truck Accident Cases
Large commercial trucks are critical links in the nation’s supply chain, and Oklahoma serves as a freight transportation hub, with access to all corners of the country through central corridors such as I-40, I-44, and I-35. Unfortunately, this reliance on trucks to transport crucial goods and services puts Immense, fully loaded 80,000-pound trucks on the road alongside much smaller 4,000-pound cars, leaving motorists vulnerable to severe or catastrophic injuries in accidents.
An OKC truck accident lawyer helps prove liability by examining all available evidence, including the truck’s black box data.
Do All Commercial Trucks Have Black Box Recording Devices?
Event Data Recorders (EDRs) are more commonly known as “black box recorders.” These devices are becoming more common, but are not mandatory for all trucks under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. Instead, only Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) are legally required for trucks to log driving hours. This helps enforce hours-of-service (HOS) limits and mandatory breaks for truck drivers.
The ELD information is helpful in many truck accident claims, sometimes providing evidence that a driver’s fatigue due to extended driving hours caused or contributed to the accident. Scientific studies show that driving fatigue significantly impairs judgment and reaction time.
Many trucking companies now use EDRs in place of, or in addition to, ELDs. EDRs are more comprehensive logging devices that are often included in new commercial trucks. These devices record the following:
- Speed
- Brake application information
- Engine function
- Sudden accelerations and decelerations
- GPS location
- Steering data
- Seatbelt usage
These black boxes record and store data from immediately before, during, and after an accident, giving them a substantial impact on truck accident claims in Oklahoma.
Black Box Data and Proving Liability In Truck Accident Cases
After a truck accident, black box data from the truck can be the key to proving liability with crucial information, such as the driver’s speed, steering, and braking behaviors immediately before and during the accident, as well as the truck’s mechanical function and the driver’s hours of service. Unfortunately, this information is routinely overwritten after a pre-set number of miles, during truck maintenance, or when an ELD or EDR reaches memory capacity. Also, without an immediate subpoena, a trucking company may protect its bottom line by erasing data that might implicate the driver or the company.
Proving liability requires examining all aspects of the truck accident, gathering evidence to identify the liable party, and demonstrating legal liability by showing the following:
- The at-fault party owed a duty of care to the driver
- They breached their duty through negligence
- The breach of duty directly caused the accident and injury to the victim
- The injury victim sustained economic and non-economic damages from their injury
Common liable parties in Oklahoma truck accident cases include the driver, the trucking company, a negligent truck maintenance company, or the manufacturer of a defective truck part. Black box data is often the key to proving liability.
How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma City Help My Case?
The trucking industry and its large insurance companies are powerful entities that protect their profits at the injury victim’s expense in truck accident claims. This may include hiding or erasing critical black box data.
Call or contact an OKC truck accident lawyer today for a free evaluation of your case and the legal action you need to prove your claim under Oklahoma’s fault-based comparative negligence system.