Throughout the legal world we see a great number of personal injury claims from those who have been involved in an accident involving trucks. The reason why these cases are often so well known is that the damage which truck accidents can cause has the potential to be enormous, and historically has left many injured, and some even having lost their life. From the point of view of truck accident attorneys these cases are hard to break down, owing to the number of potential parties who could be considered liable in the event of an accident.
There is much that technology can do for the trucking industry, especially with regards to safety, and here is how cameras are helping to reduce the amount of money which trucking companies are paying out on legal fees.
Cargo Update
One of the most common reasons for an accident which involves a truck is that the cargo is not properly loaded onto the trailer. In some instances this means that the weight is too much on one side or another, in others it can mean that too much weight has been added or that cargo has not been properly secured. In terms of the latter issue, a camera inside the trailer which can be viewed by the driver will let them know if anything is loose whilst they are on the road.
Ending Blind Spots
Simply because of the way that the truck is built, there are naturally occurring blind spots which drivers have to be aware of. These in particular cause issues in the front and rear, where upwards 20 feet is out of sight to the truck driver. Using cameras we can make blind spots and the front, rear and sides of the truck a thing of the past, giving drivers full visibility of any hazards around them.
Driver Behaviors
Despite their best efforts, trucking companies do still have some drivers who drive dangerously, under the influence or distracted. Using cameras trucking companies can monitor their driver’s performance and ensure that if anything looks awry, they can take action before that driver finds themselves in the middle of a collision, and an ensuing court case.
Identifying Fault
Using cameras inside the truck and on the exterior of the truck, deciding blame after an accident is going to become much easier indeed. This could in fact help trucking companies to save money on paying for victims of an accident, when neither the truck or driver was at fault. For example it may be that there was a manufacturer error which was made, and that is going to be visible when we see the footage of the accident from the on-board cameras.
There is no doubt that cameras are a tool which trucking companies can use to keep their fleet and their drivers safe. Additionally however they can use these cameras to also keep other road users safe, and to reduce the amount of money which they end up spending on legal fees and compensation.
