Event Data Recorders

Event data recorders are a wealth of information.
Event data recorders formerly known as electronic control modules have become more sophisticated. Not only can these devices provide pre-crash vehicle speed but many of them record the location of the steering wheel and the transmission shift, angle of the vehicle, potential rollover data, position of the front seats and whether there was a person in those seats.

The analysis of data from the EDR needs to be coordinated with any GPS devices that may be on the vehicle. These GPS devices may so precise as to locate the vehicle in a certain lane. This same type of data may likewise be extracted from cell phones that may have been in the vehicle at the time.

In addition, many trucking companies now have on-board video cameras that record not only what is going on in the vehicle but may record what is going on outside the vehicle.

Finally, some vehicles have actually been equipped with detection and avoidance systems that are designed to prevent crashes. These devices warn drivers of potential blind spots, approaching objects and also lane location.