Rock Hill SC Auto Accident Lawyer
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has established new criteria for “black boxes” installed in new vehicles. The new rules are still being written in final form, but will require all new cars that have the devices to contain standardized information for retrieval in the event of a car crash. Standards for the type of data recorded, its accuracy and car accident “survivability” are components of the new regulations.
Similar to the properly called “event data recorders” installed in aircraft, auto black boxes have circuit boards, with memory chips and data jacks for reading and transferring captured information. Specialists, not drivers, are the only legally allowed personnel permitted to service these units.
Since 2010, NHTSA estimates that over 90 percent of vehicles sold in North Carolina and elsewhere across the United States have these devices. They are designed to record data just before a car crash, including whether seatbelts were buckled. Trying to upgrade vehicle safety and to enhance their legal position in court, manufacturers install these units to capture downloadable data after a motor vehicle accident occurs.
New NHTSA requirements are targeted to standardizing this information, making it easier and more reliable to read and interpret. Tied to airbag deployment, the black boxes, when operating properly, offer information on multiple events just prior to car accidents, including the speed of the vehicle’s wheels and braking (or not braking) data.
Sensors in the car constantly update data sent to the devices, which are typically located in protected places in the vehicles. The NHTSA turned down a manufacturers’ request for a one year delay in standardized data capture. The final regulation will mandate that all newly manufactured vehicles contain black boxes that record the same information.
Contact the Auto Accident Law Firm of Bice Law
If you have suffered injury from a vehicle accident, take the first step to protect your legal rights – contact the personal injury firm of Bice Law. We investigate the accident records or scene in order to interview key witnesses and document evidence before it has been destroyed or removed. We’ll review your medical records and evaluate your long-term prognosis to assess the amount of damages that your injury warrants. We’ll determine whether an out-of-court settlement or trial is the best strategy to obtain maximum benefits for you or your family. We serve families across both North and South Carolina. You only have a limited time after your injury to file a claim, however, so you must act quickly. Contact the personal injury firm of Bice Law today by calling 877-BICE-877 or submit an online request to get a free consultation with a vehicle accident attorney. Results are how we measure success – we’ve built a strong reputation both in and out of the courtroom, and we’ll put our experience and expertise to work on your behalf
