Electronic Control Modules in Trucking Cases

Any time there is a tragic airplane crash, one of the most crucial pieces of evidence to investigators is the plane’s “black box.” Likewise, commercial tractor-trailers are equipped with a “black box” that records certain data about the truck’s operations. Though they’re often referred to as “black boxes,” the on-board computer device in trucks are known as Electronic Control Modules (ECM).

What data can be pulled from an ECM?

What data can be pulled from a particular ECM depends on the manufacturer of the truck’s engine. However, there are certain pieces of data that most ECMs will record.

Hard braking events

“Hard braking events” occur when a truck rapidly decelerates. These events are recorded when the rate of deceleration crosses an established threshold.

For example, if the company defines a hard brake event as anytime a truck decelerates by more than 10 m.p.h. in a period of three seconds, then each time that vehicle performs that braking action, it will be recorded as a hard-braking event.

In addition to using hard braking events to help determine how a particular crash occurred, hard braking event data helps trucking companies identify dangerous driving activity so that they can correct them before a catastrophic crash occurs. Safe trucking companies have established procedures that coach their drivers on safe following distance, appropriate braking, etc. when a certain number of hard braking events have been identified.

Last stop data

Another key piece of ECM data available on most ECMs is the “last stop” data. Last stop data records information from a certain time period before the engine was last turned off.

For example, last stop data will be able to tell how fast a truck was going immediately before an impact. Obviously, this can be a very important piece of information in investigating whether the truck driver had engaged in dangerous or reckless driving behaviors that caused a serious crash.

It is absolutely essential to obtain the ECM data in any trucking-related crash. If your attorney routinely handles trucking cases, he will have an expert on call that can report to the scene of a crash or the lot where the truck is brought after a crash to download the data before it is lost.

The timing of the ECM download is critical. Certain types of data, like last stop data, will be overwritten if the truck is put back into normal service. This can result in the crucial data being gone forever.

Injured in a truck accident? Contact us today.

If you have been involved in a crash with a truck, we recommend contacting an attorney like Shannon Law Group as soon as possible to preserve all of the necessary evidence. Unfortunately, far too often we have seen cases in which trucking companies attempt to hide this data from injured victims.

Trucking cases are very different from a standard automobile crash case. The prompt recovery of ECM data is one such way.

You need attorneys that have successfully handled trucking cases in the past to ensure that the trucking company is held accountable and that the critical pieces of evidence you need to prove your case are not altered or destroyed by an unscrupulous company.

Our attorneys at Shannon Law Group are available 24/7 at (312) 578-9501. Our consultations come at no cost to you. We’re just a call or message away!