Everyone knows that the first step investigators take in plane crashes is recovering the event data recorder (EDR), aka, the “black box“. An EDR’s function is to capture data (audio, mechanical, electrical, speed, positioning/crash angles and myriads of other useful information) during the operation of a vehicle, machine or even a program. An invaluable tool for investigators in determining the exact details of a crash incident.Starting in 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will require that all vehicles capture the same data in the same format as well as a device to remove and translate this data. This will bring an entirely new dimension of clarity in vehicular accident investigations, now arming the reconstructionists with precise information as to speed prior to impact, impact speed, braking distances, mechanical failures, number of crashes and other crash factors.According to government figures released in 2008, between 70 – 85% of vehicles now being manufactured have pre-installed EDRs.With respect to privacy concerns, this black box information has not been available to insurance companies or defendants without the express written permission of the EDR’s owner. Obviously, a litigant may not be forthcoming with a black box data release authorization if s/he feels at fault in the accident.Also, the EDR captured data is only retained for approximately eight weeks within the device, thereby making its recovery essential, especially in serious/fatality-involved collisions.The above are the facts. Below is a statement by the NHTSA, the latter portion regarding recording driving time, I find disconcertingly intrusive. Each person has individual driving capabilities, with some able to drive long distances for many hours and others finding short hops to the local grocery store an overwhelming task.
Car Black Boxes; The Future Of Accident Litigation «
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Car Black Boxes; The Future Of Accident Litigation «