Can EDRs or Black Boxes Impact My Car Accident Claim?

The installation and use of Event Data Recorders (also known as “EDRs” or “Black Boxes”) in motor vehicles is becoming more common. EDRs are electronic devices used to record data about a vehicle for just a few seconds right before a crash and just after. Some of the data that an EDR may record include:

• Vehicle dynamics information and the system status from right before the crash
• Whether the occupants used restraints
• Driver inputs like braking or accelerating
• Vehicle crash signature, which documents the severity of the crash
• Whether the airbags deployed
• Data from just after the crash, which may include the automatic collision notification system, which informs emergency services when there is an accident

EDRs’ primary purpose is to collect and preserve information during a car crash that investigators can use to determine the cause. One possible feature is a “memory module.” Memory modules in airbags can collect information whenever the airbags deploy.

EDR data following a car accident

After a serious collision in Alton, Illinois, law enforcement will likely secure the site of the crash. In serious crashes, investigators may collect relevant evidence concerning the collision. If the vehicles had EDRs or black boxes, the data from those may also be part of the evidence that influences determinations about liability.

Not all vehicles will have an EDR. However, most manufacturers today do install these in their newer models. These EDRs can answer important questions like:

• How fast were the vehicles going?
• Did the drivers use their brakes?
• Did any of the vehicles accelerate prior to impact?
• Were the drivers using their seatbelts?
• Were there any other occupants in the cars?
• Did those occupants use their seatbelts?
• Did the airbags deploy?
• Were the airbags engaged?
• How did the vehicle move because of the impact?
• When did the collision occur?
• How much force was involved in the crash?
• Was there one impact or multiple impacts (which might happen in a rollover accident)?
• What was the impact angle (rear-end collision, side impact, etc.)?
• Did the safety technology in the vehicles issue any warnings?
• What were the RPMs at the time of the crash?
• At what angle were the steering wheels?
• What seats were occupants using?
• What was the GPS location for the crash?

Analyzing EDR data

Data from an EDR is useful for those injured in crashes by other motorists because it can help prove liability. However, accessing the data is not a simple task. Even looking in an owner’s manual might not give you the information that you need to retrieve the data.

EDRs are technical, and the best way to get accurate, usable information from them might be to seek the help of experts like accident reconstruction specialists or engineers. Your Alton, IL, personal injury attorney may be able to connect with an EDR expert or engineering consultant so that you can retrieve the information and use it to support your claim. Experts may have a “data retrieval toolkit” with special hardware and software that helps them get the data.

The engineering experts retained by your Alton, IL, car accident injury lawyer may complete in-depth reports reflecting their findings. Your personal injury lawyer can also work with the experts to find a way to properly authenticate the information so that it is admissible in court.

It’s also worth noting that after an accident, you need to work fast to collect data from an EDR or black box. The data may only last 30 days, and accessing it could prove challenging. Speaking to an attorney right away is the best way to prevent the loss of data and evidence.

Black box data’s role in car crash injury claims

In multi-vehicle crashes, investigators might need to access data from several EDRs to create a complete picture of the incident. EDR data may help you recreate what happened and build a case against one or more other drivers. For example, the EDR data may allow you to establish:

• What took place before and after the crash, including whether anyone tried to stop or accelerate.
• Determine if any vehicles slid or lost traction, possibly because of bad weather.
• Demonstrate the order of events that led to the crash.

Following a crash, especially a traumatic one, it’s common for those involved to struggle to remember what happened. In those cases, the EDR data can be extremely important for piecing together what took place and helping those injured recover compensation.

Seriously injured in a car accident? Speak to an experienced personal injury attorney in Alton, Illinois

If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, then now is the time to contact the experienced personal injury attorneys with Glisson Law. Our team is here to help walk you through the legal process and work toward securing financial restitution for your harm and losses. We can also help collect and analyze EDR data from the vehicles involved in the collision.

Glisson Law has been helping the folks in Alton and the surrounding area for more than 25 years – let us help you, too. Call our offices or fill out our contact form today to schedule your free consultation. We proudly serve Belleville, Edwardsville, St. Clair, Madison County, and all of Southwestern Illinois.