Why Truck Crash Electronic Data Can Matter
Truck crash electronic data can show what a commercial truck was doing before impact, but much of it can disappear quickly. Logging devices, engine computers, telematics systems, cameras and dispatch tools each record different things. Some data is overwritten automatically. Other records stay only for a set period before the carrier deletes them.
No two trucks record exactly the same information. The equipment depends on the vehicle, the carrier and the systems it chose to install.
Electronic Logging Devices
Most interstate truck drivers must use an electronic logging device to record hours of service. The device ties driving time to the engine and records location at intervals. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration explains the requirement on its electronic logging device page.
Federal rules require carriers to keep duty records and supporting documents for six months. After that, a carrier may discard them in the normal course. Because of that short window, preservation requests should go out early. For the hours rules themselves, see California trucking regulations.
Engine Modules and Crash Recorders
Many trucks have engine control modules that can store data around a sudden stop or hard braking event. Depending on the system, that data may include speed, brake use, throttle position and cruise control status in the seconds before an event. Some systems save it only when a trigger occurs.
Reading the data takes the right tools and training. A qualified expert should download it under a documented process. Turning the truck back on, driving it or repairing it can change or erase stored information.
Access also has legal limits. California Vehicle Code section 9951 restricts who can retrieve data from vehicle recording devices without the owner’s consent. A court order is one of the listed paths.
Telematics and Fleet Systems
Fleet tracking systems often report location, speed and engine status to the carrier in near real time. They can show the route a truck took and whether it stopped. Some also flag hard braking or speeding events for safety managers.
These records usually sit on a vendor’s servers. Retention depends on the vendor’s settings and the carrier’s contract. So a request should name the system and the vendor when possible.
Cameras Inside and Outside the Cab
Many fleets now use forward facing cameras, and some add driver facing cameras. Event based systems may save a short clip around a hard brake or collision. Continuous systems may record over footage after a set time.
Video from outside sources can help too. Nearby businesses and other drivers’ dashcams may have caught the truck. The guide on preserving photos, video and witness information covers how to ask for that footage.
Dispatch and Communication Records
Dispatch messages show schedules, route changes and delivery deadlines. They can reveal pressure to drive longer or faster than planned. Messaging apps used for work may also hold relevant records.
These are business records of the carrier, so the carrier controls them. They usually come through a preservation letter followed by discovery in a lawsuit.
Preserving Truck Crash Electronic Data
Preservation starts with a written request to the carrier soon after the crash. It should identify the truck, the trailer, the driver and the date. It should also list the kinds of data to keep, such as logging records, engine data, telematics, video and dispatch messages.
A request asks the carrier to keep the data. Even so, a carrier may not respond at first, which is why follow up matters. It does not give anyone the right to take it. Never try to access a truck’s systems yourself or interfere with its equipment.
When a dispute is likely, parties have a duty to keep relevant evidence. If evidence disappears, California Evidence Code section 413 lets a jury consider a party’s willful suppression of evidence. Courts can also impose other consequences in a lawsuit.
Data From the Other Vehicles
Cars involved in the crash may hold data too. Many passenger vehicles have event data recorders that store speed and braking around a crash. That data can confirm or challenge the truck’s records, so it deserves the same care.
Keep your own car unrepaired until you know whether anyone needs to inspect it. Tell your insurer before a salvage yard takes a totaled vehicle. Once a car is crushed or sold, its data is usually lost for good.
Expert Interpretation
However, raw data rarely speaks for itself. Then speed readings, time stamps and event triggers need matching to the crash and checked for errors. Clocks in different systems may not agree.
An expert also considers what the data does not show. Many systems record only certain events, and some have gaps. For that reason, truck crash electronic data works well alongside physical evidence and witness accounts rather than in place of them.
Other Holders of Truck Crash Electronic Data
The carrier may not be the only party with data. A trailer owner, a broker or a shipper may hold separate records. The site discusses those parties in trucking company accident liability.
Write down the names on the truck and trailer at the scene if it is safe. The DOT number on the door helps identify the operating carrier, and that is often the first step toward preserving its records.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different.