How Telematics Can Strengthen Your Florida Truck Accident Claim

In Florida, truck accidents are often far more complex—and more devastating—than standard car crashes. Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded, and when they collide with smaller vehicles, the consequences can be life-altering. If you or someone you love has been involved in a crash with a semi-truck, one of the most powerful tools available to help prove your case might be something you’ve never heard of: telematics data.

As a Florida truck accident attorney, I can tell you firsthand—this technology can provide the evidence you need to establish liability, prove negligence, and fight back against powerful trucking companies and their insurance carriers.

What Is Telematics in the Trucking Industry?

Telematics refers to a system that uses GPS technology, sensors, and onboard diagnostics to collect and transmit real-time data from a vehicle. In the trucking industry, these systems are used to monitor things like:

• Vehicle speed and location
• Braking and acceleration patterns
• Engine performance and maintenance alerts
• Hours of service (HOS) tracking
• Route history and idle time
• Seat belt usage
• Harsh turns or lane changes
• Impact forces and sudden stops

In simple terms, telematics turns a commercial truck into a data-producing machine—tracking everything from how fast it was going to how long it had been on the road. This data can be critical in a truck accident investigation.

Why Telematics Data Matters in Florida Truck Accident Cases

Truck accident cases are rarely straightforward. There are often multiple parties involved, including the truck driver, the trucking company, a freight broker, or even a third-party maintenance provider. To succeed in your claim, you’ll need strong, objective evidence that shows who was at fault—and why.

That’s where telematics comes in.

Here’s how telematics can support your personal injury case:

• Proving Driver Error or Negligence
  • If the truck was speeding, tailgating, or making unsafe lane changes, the telematics data will reflect that behavior. This evidence can counter false claims by the truck driver or the trucking company.
• Reconstructing the Timeline of the Crash
  • Telematics provides a minute-by-minute (sometimes second-by-second) log of the truck’s movements. It can show when the brakes were applied, how fast the truck was going before impact, and whether it made any sudden maneuvers.
• Identifying Hours of Service Violations
  • Federal trucking regulations limit how many hours a commercial driver can spend behind the wheel. Telematics data can confirm if the driver was on the road too long—suggesting fatigue, a common cause of truck crashes in Florida.
• Highlighting Vehicle Maintenance Issues
  • Was the truck roadworthy? Was the crash caused by failed brakes or a worn-out tire? Telematics may reveal ignored maintenance alerts or mechanical issues that point to negligence on the part of the trucking company.

The Legal Challenge: Getting Access to Telematics

Here’s the catch: the telematics data is usually owned and controlled by the trucking company.
That means without quick legal action, valuable evidence can be deleted, altered, or simply “lost.” In some cases, the data may be overwritten within days if not properly preserved.

That’s why one of the critical first steps any lawyer should take is sending a spoliation letter—a formal legal notice requiring the trucking company to preserve all electronic data, including telematics, dashcam footage, and electronic control module (ECM) logs. If they fail to preserve this evidence, we can ask the court to impose sanctions or even infer fault.

Time is critical. The sooner we can demand that data be preserved, the stronger your case becomes.

Combining Telematics With Other Evidence

Telematics is powerful—but it’s even more effective when used alongside other types of evidence we collect in a truck accident case:

• Dashcam video from the truck (if available)
• Black box (ECM) data that captures vehicle behavior at the moment of impact
• Eyewitness accounts
• Police accident reports
• Medical records and injury documentation
• Cell phone logs to identify distracted driving

Together, this evidence allows us to build a strong, well-documented claim that insurance companies can’t easily deny or dispute.

Florida Truck Accident Laws: What You Need to Know

Under Florida law, victims of trucking accidents can pursue compensation for:

• Medical expenses (current and future)
• Lost income and reduced earning ability
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Wrongful death (in fatal truck crashes)

But Florida follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you’re found to be more than 50% responsible for the accident, you may lose your right to recover compensation entirely. That makes accurate, indisputable evidence—like telematics—even more important.

Real-Life Example: How Telematics Helped Prove Fault

Let’s say a commercial truck rear-ends your vehicle in Broward County. The truck driver claims you cut him off. But telematics shows he was driving 12 miles per hour over the speed limit, didn’t begin braking until just before impact, and had exceeded his hours of service by nearly three hours.

That data makes a major difference.

Instead of it being your word against the driver’s, you now have digital proof that strengthens your position and increases the likelihood of a full settlement—or court victory.

What To Do After a Truck Accident in Florida

If you’ve been involved in a crash with a commercial truck in Florida, follow these steps to protect your rights:

• Call 911 and request emergency medical attention and a police report.
• Document the scene with photos and videos, if you’re able.
• Get contact information for the truck driver, witnesses, and the trucking company.
• Do not speak to the trucking company or their insurer without legal representation.
• Call an experienced Florida truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

The trucking company is already preparing its defense. You need someone fighting for you – and fast!

If you’re injured in an accident, call Jaime “Mr. 786Abogado” Suarez today to Get You Paid!