The debate about whether or not to require commercial trucks to use electronic on-board recording devices (EOBRs), also known as “black boxes” has been raging for years.
Many safety advocacy groups hold the opinion that EOBRs will encourage safety and deter drivers from hours-of-service (HOS) regulation violations. On the other hand, many large players in the trucking industry argue that EOBRs will cause undue hardship on truck drivers for rule violations that don’t really promote safety and delay operations.
As an attorney who helps victims of commercial truck accidents, I believe that requiring EOBRs is a positive move. In practice, they actually permit drivers to spend more time on the road. Many truck drivers note increased efficiency time recording allowing them, in some cases, to record up to 10 hours more time each week.
In fact, there are some reports that EOBRs cut-down on around 600 hours of administrative time each year.
Another argument for EOBRs is the reduction in reporting errors and inconsistencies. It is too common to find hand-recorded logs in which important information is lost. Electronic recording basically eliminates this loss of information.
While are these are compelling reasons in favor of requiring EOBRs, perhaps none is more important than the accurate recording of driver and vehicle behavior immediately before, during and after a truck accident.
Accident reconstruction is critical in assessing liability for truck collisions. In fact, accurate recording may actually serve to absolve truck drivers who are wrongly held liable for accidents. Further, electronic recording for accident reconstruction allows experts to make the changes needed to reduce the number of serious truck accidents on our highways and roads each year.
This one seems like a no-brainer.
