Black box data

Some newer automobiles and light trucks store information in airbag and power-train control modules about speeds, brake status, throttle position, rollover and seatbelt use. Data is recorded in many cases even when the airbags are not deployed. If the vehicle is supported by our Bosch Crash Data Retrieval equipment, then we can download the stored data. We interpret the data based on the orientation of the vehicle at the point of impact.

Most newer heavy trucks have the capability to store large amounts of pre-crash and crash data. This often includes data on speed, brake status, clutch status and throttle position for several seconds before a heavy braking event or significant damage to the engine. In addition, some truck black boxes store historical information about driver duty status, time spent in speed ranges, number of hard brake events, the last two hard brake events, maximum speed over a period of time, etc. While we do not have the equipment to perform the download, we often arrange for the data to be retrieved and supervise the retrieval. We also can perform a preliminary evaluation of the hours of service data to determine if a trucking expert might be helpful. In addition to the data stored on board, some fleet trucks have devices that track position of the vehicle for an extended period of time. If preserved, this data can be used to determine approximate speeds prior to an accident.

For cars and light trucks we typically evaluate black box data for:

• The speed of the vehicle for several seconds before impact
• When and how hard the brakes and throttle were applied in the seconds before impact
• Whether the driver and front passenger seatbelts were buckled
• The severity of the impact
• When a rollover was detected
• Reliability and accuracy of the data

For heavy trucks we typically evaluate black box data for:

• The speed of the vehicle for several seconds before impact
• When the brakes, clutch and throttle were applied for several seconds before impact
• Whether hard brake events are a frequent occurrence
• Whether hours of service might be an issue
• Whether excessive speed might have contributed to the accident