Automotive Technology: What Is a Car Black Box Used For?

Most people know that airplanes have so-called "black boxes" in them. Also known as flight recorders, they're often the first things investigators look for following plane crashes since they record so much important information about flights.
Did you know that most modern-day vehicles have black boxes in them as well? They're some of the most advanced pieces of automotive technology inside many cars.

So, what exactly is a car black box used for? When can they come in handy? And how can you get access to the information stored on one?
We're going to break down the car black box for you so that you understand the role that it can play following a car accident. Learn all about car black boxes below.

What Is a Car Black Box?

A car's black box is similar to an airplane's black box. It's designed to capture data in the moments leading up to, during, and after an accident.
In doing so, a black box is able to paint a clearer picture of what may have caused a car accident to take place. It can provide driving records like:

•How fast a car was going at the time of an accident
•Whether a car accelerated or braked prior to an accident
•The force of impact during an accident
•The steering angles of a car during an accident
•Whether seatbelts were being worn during an accident

If investigators are able to get data from a car black box after an accident, it'll make it easier for them to figure out what took place during it. It's a big part of the reason why car black boxes were put into place in so many cars in the first place.

Do All Cars Have Black Boxes in Them?

If you have a car that was manufactured way back in the early 1990s or sometime before then, it probably doesn't have a car black box in it. It wasn't until the mid-1990s that some automakers started to incorporate black boxes into the mix.

But if you have a car that is on the newer side, there's a very good chance it has a car black box. Almost 100% of modern-day cars contain black boxes in them. Ideally, you won't ever have to use it, but it'll be nice to know you have a black box in your car just in case.

Most states have put laws into place about how automakers must install black boxes in their vehicles. But at the same time, they've also created laws limiting who can access the data on car black boxes. That's something you should keep in mind before you agree to turn over a black box following a car accident.

How Does a Car Black Box Work?

A car black box might be a fairly advanced piece of automotive technology. But it's actually pretty easy to understand how one works.

A black box will record data almost all the time just in case it's needed. But it'll work especially hard to preserve any data that is collected in the 20 seconds leading up to a car crash and the 20 seconds after one happens. It has accident detection that can make this data a top priority.
As you can imagine, this data is going to be very important if you're ever involved in an accident. It could help determine if you were at fault for a crash or if someone else may have been to blame for it.

How Long Does Data Stay on a Car Black Box?

One thing worth noting is that the data found on a car's black box isn't going to stay on it forever. In fact, there will be a very short window of time when this data will be available following a car accident.
Generally speaking, this data will only remain in a black box for about 3 to 4 weeks at most. After that, it's going to disappear forever, and you won't be able to use it if you decide that you could benefit from accessing it.

For this reason, you'll want to take action in the aftermath of a car accident if you believe that you might be able to utilize the data on your car's black box for legal purposes. You don't want to wait too long to try to get to it only to discover that it no longer exists on your black box.

Waiting even just a few days could be the difference between you being able to gain access to the black box in your car and you missing out on the opportunity to obtain it.

How Can You Benefit From Data on a Car Black Box?
You might be able to benefit from the data on a car black box in a big way, especially if you decide to take legal action against another driver after you're involved in a car accident. It's why you shouldn't hesitate to look into getting this data into your possession if you can.

Your black box could possibly reveal whether or not you were to blame for a car accident you were involved in. It'll show how fast you were driving at the time of the accident, which angle your steering wheel was pointing if you hit your brakes before getting into a crash, and more.

Any time you file a car accident claim, it'll be important that you demonstrate you weren't to blame for it. If you were to blame, it could hurt your case and prevent you from being able to collect compensation.

How Can You Get Data Off a Car Black Box?

So here's the thing about a car black box that surprises many people: It isn't always easy to pull data from it. It can cost anywhere from a couple of thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars to do it. It also calls for you to hire a trained professional to extract data from it.

This would help explain why more people don't know about car black boxes at this time. There are many instances in which it won't make sense for you to try to get to the data stored in your black box.

There are, however, many different entities that can lay claim to the data stored on your car black box. For example, law enforcement can look into getting their hands on this data as they gather evidence about a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or the NHTSA, can also try to obtain it for their records.

Automakers can get access to the data from a black box if they would like. And auto insurance companies will sometimes try to get data from car black boxes as well.

But there is also one more entity that can secure data from a black box. A law firm might be able to do it if they're representing a client who is filing a personal injury claim. This is the scenario that you might find yourself in if you were in a car accident you believe was caused by someone else.

Who Can Help You Get Data From a Car Black Box?

Do you want to try to pull data from your car's black box so that you can use it for a personal injury case? You'll need to have the right law firm on your side to do it. Not every personal injury lawyer will be willing to jump through hoops to get this data for you.

Visit https://alphaaccidentlawyers.com to learn more about how a car black box works and to find out what the data on it can do for you. You might be surprised to see how helpful this black box can be when you're trying to gather evidence to put together a compelling personal injury case with assistance from a lawyer.

Use Your Car Black Box to Your Advantage

If you're ever in a bad car accident, it can change the trajectory of your life. You might find yourself saddled with so many medical bills you won't know what to do.

Before you panic, know you're entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit that could help you get your hands on the money you'll need to pay medical bills and other costs. The data on your car black box could play a key role in helping you build a strong case with the help of a lawyer.

Read through more of our blog articles to get other legal tips.

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We specialize in motor vehicle accidents, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death cases. We are dedicated to getting the best results for our clients.

This release was published on openPR.