Florida Car Accidents and Black Boxes: Is the Data Always Reliable?

Determining who is at fault for a West Palm Beach car wreck is very important. Although Florida is a no-fault state, the limits on an accident victim’s insurance policy may not be enough to cover serious injuries. Therefore, a Florida car crash victim with extensive injuries has the right to sue the at-fault driver for damages related to the accident, including medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
While determining fault isn’t always easy, new regulations requiring event data recorders (EDR) or black boxes in most new motor vehicles may make it easier for Florida car crash attorneys and insurance agents to reconstruct what occurred at the accident scene. Depending on the car, the devices can measure speed, seat belt use, lane position, and brake and gas pedal positions. When combined with eye-witness reports, car damage, medical records, and evidence from the scene of the accident, these black boxes can help a West Palm Beach car accident lawyer get a complete picture of the collision.
Toyota began installing EDRs in all of their vehicles starting with model year 2010, after a number of crashes were blamed on sudden acceleration. Since the recorders measure pedal position, the recorders could be used to show whether the car or the driver caused a crash. But, there is one problem with this premise.
Event data controllers are part of the computer system that controls the car’s functions. If the car is malfunctioning, then the car’s electronic system may be defective, which would make the data it collects inaccurate. In order to ensure that EDR data is reliable, it must be combined with eye-witness reports and evidence from the scene.
If you were injured in a West Palm Beach auto accident, you may wonder how you can access your car’s or the other driver’s EDR to show who was at fault. Accessibility to EDR information varies per car. Some vehicles have black boxes that can be accessed using an electronic device available to law enforcement agencies, insurance companies and independent investigators. Other EDRs must be accessed by the manufacturer, which will then make the data available to vehicle owners, law enforcement officers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
However, black boxes aren’t the only way to support a Florida accident claim. Learn more in attorney David Glatthorn’s book, The Florida Accident Workbook: Tools, Tips & Tactics to Resolve Your Injury Claim. To request a free copy or to schedule a free consultation with a West Palm Beach car accident lawyer, contact David Glatthorn at 888-340-2620.