The modern-day vehicle has technology that helps in many ways, including a black box. Similar to ships and airplanes, the black boxes that are equipped in today's vehicles record vital information that can be utilized to help identify the cause of a collision. Data from the black box may be used to help identify who is at fault and should be held responsible for damages in accidents where fault is disputed.
While not always utilized in every case, recovering the black box data can be beneficial to your car accident case in Connecticut. But, recovering this data can be a bit complicated and require the assistance and expertise of a CT car accident lawyer.
The lawyers at Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney At Law are prepared to work with you to come out victorious in your case by proving fault and uncovering the evidence needed to get there. During our free consultation, we may go through the specifics of your case to see what legal options you have.
Regarding the black box, we go over what data is stored during a car accident and how it is used in a car accident claim.
Purpose Of A Vehicle's Black Box
An electronic device known as a "black box" is used to record the data leading up to, during and following an accident. Most vehicles produced after 2014 have an EDR, known as an Event Data Recorder, integrated into their airbag or powertrain control systems. Most auto manufacturers have added EDRs to their new vehicles even though the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not mandated that they be present in every car.
Black boxes were first created for use in aircraft to monitor their operations and help spot any possible issues. In automobiles, they function in a similar way.
Data That The Black Box Records During An Accident
It makes sense that black box recordings would be linked to whether the airbags in a vehicle deployed or not after a crash as black boxes are typically attached to the airbag system.
Regardless of whether the airbags deploy or not, the black box also records pre- and post-crash information. However, because these collisions are typically thought to be more dangerous, an airbag deployment is likely to result in a longer recording.
Information that a vehicle's black box will record is:
- Vehicle's speed
- Force of the impact
- Braking
- Use of seatbelts
- Acceleration rates
- Airbag deployment
- Position of the seats
- Steering
As long as a car is running, its black box should record information. The NHTSA has not published any blanket regulations because black boxes are not mandated in new vehicles, so how much data the black box records or how long the information is stored is not standard across all vehicle black boxes.
Proving Fault From Black Box Data in a CT Car Accident
Black boxes can be used to prove fault because of the volume of data they capture, especially when there are questions about who was at fault or there aren't witnesses to provide an account of what happened.
The black box could prove fault for a driver that was speeding when it struck your car, for example. The black box could also reveal whether the motorist was on the phone just prior to the collision if their phone was Bluetooth-connected to their car. This is just two examples, but data extracted from a black box can help prove fault in a number of ways, or even establish negligence.
The only issue that one may run into is that certain tools are required to recover the relevant data from a vehicle's black box. Fortunately, if your case requires it, attorneys can assist in recovering the important data recorded on a black box.
It's important to remember, just as you and your attorney attempt to use the data to bolster your case, the other driver's insurance company will do the same to attempt to show that you were at fault as well.
Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law Can Help You With Your CT Car Accident Case
If you were hurt in a car accident, you might need the help of our car accident lawyers to help you recover data from the black boxes of your car and the other party's. Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law has experience in representing clients in car accident cases of all types, including those that require the use of black box data.
Protect your right to file a claim for damages if you suffered injuries in a CT car accident. Call us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss the details of your accident.