Truck crashes often result in serious injuries to the person in the smaller vehicle. If that’s you, exploring all your compensation options will be crucial, as you are probably going to need a lot of money.
While you will almost certainly want to claim against the truck driver, you might also need to claim against the trucking company.
Trucking companies know this, and the more responsible among them take steps to ensure their drivers are driving safely. Doing that means recruiting well and training well, but it also requires some form of constant monitoring. Remember, just because someone was once a good driver does not mean they cannot have a bad day or a bad week. Perhaps someone is going through a difficult period at home. Or perhaps they have just crept into bad habits over time.
Video telematics can help
Video telematics is the fancy word for one or more cameras in the cab that combine with artificial intelligence (AI) to flag risky driving behaviors. They usually warn the driver first to allow them to make an immediate correction, but they may also notify the person in charge of safety sitting back in their office at base.
The idea is twofold: Firstly, they want to help drivers avoid crashes. So, reminding someone to put their phone down, or stay further back from the car in front could do that. Secondly, they permit fleet managers to see which areas particular drivers need training in or if a certain driver needs letting go altogether.
If a truck injures you, you might be able to request any video telematics data concerning the driver. If their company doesn’t use this technology, you might want to question if they did enough to ensure their drivers were safe.