One of the benefits of working with an experienced personal injury lawyer is having someone who knows how to obtain critical evidence in your case. While police reports, dash cam footage, and photographs taken after the accident can be helpful, your vehicle may be storing valuable telematic information that can be crucial in your case. Gone are the days in personal injury cases when we have to rely on two drivers with very different versions of events. Your vehicle could have stored critical information leading up to the crash that can support your personal injury claim.
What Are Telematics?
In this context, telematics refers to using technology to monitor and track vehicles. Most people are aware that airplanes have “black boxes” which are otherwise known as “event data recorders.” However, most modern vehicles also have onboard computer systems that record critical information about the vehicle and driver behavior, including speed, braking, and acceleration.
Telematics are possible through GPS, cellular networks, and satellite systems that transmit data over long distances. In some personal injury cases, telematics can be used to prove the other driver was at fault for the accident or that you did everything you could to avoid the accident.
What Information Does an Event Data Recorder Log?
The information that an event data recorder logs can vary based on the vehicle’s make and model. However, information that these devices commonly record include:
- Vehicle and engine
- Timing of brake application
- Accelerator pedal position
- Location
- Steering angle
- Airbag deployment
- Time and date of crash
- Direction and force of impact
In some cases, this data can help show the cause of the accident and the other driver was at fault.
How Do I Know If My Car Has an Event Data Recorder?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has required all new vehicles to include event data recorders since 2014. Some manufacturers voluntarily included these systems in previous models. You can check your owner’s manual or contact your vehicle’s manufacturer to learn if you have an event data recorder in your vehicle.
How Do I Access My Event Data Recorder?
Accessing the information stored in an event data recorder can be challenging. Only authorized parties, such as law enforcement, attorneys, and insurance companies may be able to access it. You may also be able to obtain information from the other driver’s event data recorder if your case involves litigation.
An experienced personal injury attorney in Albuquerque can help retrieve information stored in event data recorders and leverage it to support your personal injury case. For example, they can use it to corroborate your version of events, such as cross-checking the data with information about a traffic signal or to question the other driver’s credibility if their statements do not align with the information in the event data recorder.
For a Free Consultation, Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm Today
The experienced personal injury attorneys at Caruso Law Offices, P.C. know how to obtain critical evidence to support motor vehicle injury cases in Albuquerque and throughout New Mexico. Learn more about how we can help and how telematics may be able to support your claim when you call (505) 883-5000 or contact us online. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation.