How Truck Black Box Data Proves Speeding

Large trucks catalog speed information, throttle position, braking activity, and cruise control activation, which is how truck black box data proves speeding. 

A New Orleans truck accident lawyer can help you gain access to this information to use as evidence in your claim if you’ve been injured in a truck accident. This is an important tool for establishing the accident’s cause and the truck driver’s liability.

Black Box Devices Regularly Record Speed Information

Trucks have a variety of electronic recording devices that collect a wide array of information about the truck’s operations. Data from a “black box” is a key piece of evidence needed to win a truck accident case. These devices log a truck’s speed every few seconds, so there’s a consistent record of the truck’s speed and whether they are following the speed limit. 

Speeding itself is dangerous and can reduce a truck driver’s ability to react quickly. Given the weight and size of these vehicles, a collision at a higher impact can be devastating and cause severe or fatal injuries. By gaining access to a truck’s black box data after a crash, you can see if the driver was driving over the speed limit when the crash occurred. This can support your claim that the truck driver was at fault. 

Speed logs and other black box data are generally only kept for a limited period of time before the data is overwritten. Between this and truck companies that may not want this information to be public, speed information from truck black box data can disappear quickly without quick action. Your lawyer can request this information or even submit a subpoena if the truck company refuses to release it.

Throttle Position is Documented by a Truck’s Black Box

A truck’s black box device can also determine what position the gas pedal was in at any given time, including moments before a crash. Trucks use various sensors and electrical signals to make note of the position. This is key for determining whether a driver was speeding up, slowing down, or maintaining speed, which is important for understanding how a driver behaved in critical moments before a crash. 

When reviewing this information during a case, your lawyer can assess whether a driver was speeding, maintaining speed when they should be accelerating, and more. The truck’s recording device can show the position of the pedal marked as a percentage. If a crash occurs, the truck’s black box stops recording so that all previously recorded information is frozen in time to the moments before the collision. 

During your case, your lawyer can also work with reconstructionists who can input this data into software to recreate the event. This tool is helpful for determining and showing that the truck driver failed to decelerate or stop when they needed to in order to avoid an accident. It can also link the driver’s actions to the collision more conclusively, which is important for establishing the driver’s liability.

Braking Data Can Provide Critical Insights 

A truck’s electronics system documents braking information as well as throttle positioning. The truck can record when the brakes are used and how far down they are pressed. The black box also records when a driver brakes hard or activates the truck’s anti-lock braking system. This information is carefully scrutinized after a crash to determine how a truck’s brake usage influenced the collision. 

For example, if the recorded information shows that the driver did not engage their brakes at a traffic signal, or applied the brakes a few seconds too late, the truck’s black box data may prove speeding or fault. Similar to how a black box freezes throttle positioning before an accident, it also freezes the last-recorded braking information before the crash.

This information can also be used by reconstructionists to determine the role braking played in the cause of the accident, or in the attempt to prevent one. Braking data provides valuable insight into a truck driver’s behaviors and reaction times, which could help you hold them accountable for speeding in an accident. Late braking could indicate that their speeds prevented them from responding appropriately.

Cruise Control Can Also Contribute to Speed-Related Accidents 

Data about a truck driver’s driving behaviors and patterns are logged constantly when the truck is in motion. Given all the information it logs, it also tracks whether or not a driver is using cruise control. This means that if a truck driver failed to turn off or adjust their cruise control to reflect the speed limits in an area, then it could indicate that the driver was speeding at the time of the accident.  

While cruise control can be helpful at times, it can also reduce a driver’s ability to react as quickly to sudden hazards. It can also take longer to reduce speed, which can cost critical seconds essential for avoiding a crash. Cruise control can also hinder a driver’s ability to retain control of their truck in poor weather, which could cause them to hydroplane or gain too much momentum and cause a crash. 

A truck’s black box device is just as important for documenting cruise control data as it is for documenting speeding, acceleration, and braking. Federal regulations in 49 CFR Part 563 outline what a truck’s data system must collect while it’s operating. After an accident, your lawyer can help you get access to speed-related information and more, so you can show how the truck driver harmed you. 

Contact Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers Today to Preserve Evidence

Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers act quickly to preserve the black box data from a truck that proves speeding. 

We can use this information to build a strong case that shows you suffered injuries because the truck driver failed to follow the speed limit. To ensure that this evidence isn’t lost after an accident, contact our team right away to schedule a free consultation and get started with your claim today.