Today’s cars and trucks come equipped with a dizzying array of electronic equipment and computing power exceeding that used for the Apollo moon landings. Many of these features are hidden from view, and drivers often take them for granted or are unaware of their existence. It is not until they stop working or they are needed that owners pay attention to them.
If you or a loved one have recently been involved in a crash, you may have heard your insurance company or attorney talk about reviewing your car’s “black box.” This device contains information that can be crucial to helping your attorney and others understand how your accident occurred and who is to blame.
What Is a “Black Box”?
The term “black box” comes from the aviation industry and refers to your car or truck’s motor vehicle event data recorder (MVEDR). This device continuously records information about your car’s performance and systems as you drive.
Some of the information it captures includes:
- Your vehicle’s speed
- How far your steering wheel is turned to one side or the other
- Whether you and any other occupants are wearing your seat belts
- When you apply your car or truck’s brakes
- If certain systems, such as your vehicle’s traction control, are engaged
In the event of a crash, this recorder saves several seconds’ worth of information on the device’s hard drive. A trained professional can then access this data and use it to better understand the sequence of events leading up to a collision.
What Vehicles Are Equipped With EDRs?
Event data recorders first appeared in vehicles in the 1970s. However, their use was not widespread at the time, and not all vehicles had them. It was not until the 1990s that the majority of vehicles were being manufactured with a data recorder. Today, almost every modern vehicle driving on the road has an event data recorder installed on it.
Therefore, if you are driving a vehicle manufactured in the 1990s or later, there is a good chance it is equipped with an EDR. You can always consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual to be certain.
How Your Car’s EDR Helps Your Car Accident Case
Following a crash that leaves you seriously injured, the evidence left at the accident scene may provide few conclusive details about who caused the collision. Skid marks, damage to the vehicles, and eyewitness statements can be incomplete or contradictory.
The information from your EDR and the other vehicle’s data recorder can help prove:
- If either driver was speeding
- Whether you or the other driver applied your brakes and, if so, at what point before the crash
- Any evasive maneuver you or the other motorist attempted
- If either vehicle was experiencing a malfunction
- Who was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident
Taken together, this data can provide your attorney and others with an objective look at the critical few seconds before you and the other vehicle collided. Armed with this information, your attorney can provide a more accurate assessment of your legal rights.
Black Boxes Are One Piece of Evidence in a Chicago Wreck
Black box data is most effective when used in conjunction with other evidence and witness statements. Therefore, a thorough investigation must be conducted after your accident so that as much information can be gathered and preserved as possible. Experienced car accident lawyers are equipped to do this and synthesize it all to build a compelling case.
Contact the Chicago Car Accident Law Firm of Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys for Help Today
If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident in Chicago, Illinois, you could have a legal claim. However, you don’t want to trust your claim to any personal injury lawyer. You want a Chicago attorney with a proven track record of success in car accident cases.
For more information, please contact the experienced Chicago personal injury lawyers at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys today. We offer free consultations.
We proudly serve Cook County, Will County, Kendall County, and its surrounding areas:
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys – Chicago Office
10 S La Salle St STE 1230, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone:(312) 726-1616
Hours: Open 24/7
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Chicago
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 41.8815493,-87.6327515
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys – Joliet Office
195 Springfield Ave, Joliet, IL 60435
Phone: (815) 726-1616
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Joliet
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 41.5254295,-88.1381011
