How Telematics and Diagnostic Evidence are Used in Truck Accident Cases

Technology seems to make our lives more complex every day. The amount of information that can be collected and recorded automatically through new technology helps us better understand what happened during particular events and can provide insight into what caused them.

New technologies can contribute valuable information to establish liability in truck accident cases. However, it can be a challenge to access and preserve this information because it often has a short retention period.

The available technologies and their usefulness are different in every truck accident situation. Your attorney can explain the technologies that may be accessible and useful in your particular case. If you don’t already have an attorney, you can contact our team for a free consultation to discuss diagnostic evidence that may prove helpful in your situation. For background, here are some ways telematics and diagnostic evidence are being used in truck accident cases in Georgia.

Understanding Telematics

Telematics systems monitor information about the operations of a commercial truck and analyze this data. This information can often be transmitted to remote locations in real time and stored in cloud-based systems. Data analyzed can include information such as fuel levels, idling time, brake usage, speed, and location

Some of the devices commonly used by commercial trucks include:

• Engine control module— The ECM is a computer that operates with the engine to monitor conditions around the truck and help maintain performance.
• Event data recorder—The EDR is sometimes referred to as the “black box. It records critical information in the seconds before, during, and after a collision. Data includes speed, steering, and braking patterns.
• Electronic logging device – The ELD uses operational data and driver input to record the driver’s operational time, tasks, and rest periods to monitor compliance with federal driving-hour limits.
• Cargo signals—Devices integrated with cargo use IoT technology to monitor cargo positioning and condition, and can indicate if it was not loaded or balanced properly, which could make the vehicle unstable.

In addition, some trucks use dashcam systems that record the scene in front of the truck, and sometimes on the sides of the vehicle or within the cab.

Key Data That Can Be Used as Evidence

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you need to be able to prove that someone else was responsible for causing the collision if you want to recover compensation for the effects of your injuries. Often, someone involved in the truck’s operation can be held liable for the accident, so it is important to gather evidence showing how their negligent actions contributed to the crash. Unlike most car accident cases, which usually involve private vehicles, truck accidents often involve commercial trucks that may be serviced by several different companies. 

Separate companies may be responsible for tasks such as loading cargo, conducting equipment inspections, performing repairs, training and assessing drivers, and a host of other tasks. Analyzing the factors that led to a truck collision can indicate that one or more of these companies should be held liable.

Some of the information from telematic systems that can be used as evidence of accident causation include:

• Patterns of driver conduct, such as rapid acceleration, hard cornering, and harsh braking, that reveal aggressive driving behavior
• Diagnostic trouble codes that reveal mechanical failures and warnings that should have been investigated and repaired
• Hours-of-service information indicating whether the driver complied with federal safety regulations. A violation could provide evidence that the driver was fatigued and could be considered negligence.
• Information about the speed of the truck and the timing of the application of brakes before impact to indicate whether the driver reacted responsibly

Data from the devices on the truck can be used to recreate the moments before and during the accident. They can also be used to refute arguments made by the truck driver or trucking company. If the telemetrics were warning of system deficiencies or inappropriate driver behavior, and the trucking company failed to address these problems, the company could be held liable for the resulting injuries.

Acting to Preserve Vital Evidence

Much of the information recorded by electronic devices is automatically overwritten unless steps are taken to preserve it. For example, ECM records may be kept for 30 or 60 days and then overwritten with new operational data. ELD data must be retained for at least 6 months to comply with federal regulations, but these regulations apply only to certain information.

To preserve telematics system information, an attorney should be prepared to act promptly. This might involve sending a spoliation letter to prevent the destruction of evidence or issuing a subpoena to request certain records. Your attorney should have several tools available to obtain and preserve evidence, and they can determine which tool is most effective for the particular situation. The key is to act before vital information is lost.

Interpreting Data from Telematics Systems

Data recorded by telematics systems on trucks does not automatically explain what caused an accident or who is at fault. The information must be interpreted by experts familiar with truck operation data patterns and what they indicate. A truck accident attorney will often work with accident engineers who can prepare a model or description that interprets the data in a way that makes sense to those who are not experts in accident reconstruction or the physics of truck accidents.

Work with Michael M. Day Law Firm to Start Building the Best Case for Recovery After a Truck Accident

Data recorded by truck tech devices can go a long way toward showing how a trucking company’s actions caused a collision. However, it is often most persuasive when it is augmented with other types of evidence, such as photos of skid marks, witness testimony, and detailed photos of damage to the vehicles involved in the wreck. This evidence needs to be collected and preserved as soon as possible after a truck accident, as it degrades rapidly over time. Skid marks will fade, for instance, and witnesses’ memories become less reliable. All in all, it is wise to begin working with an experienced truck accident attorney early on so that your legal team can work to gather and preserve all available evidence to support your claim for damages. To talk to the team at Michael M. Day Law Firm about how we can help you recover full compensation for your injuries in a truck accident, schedule a free case evaluation with us by calling 404-480-4284 or contacting us online today.