What federal rules require carriers to keep
Driver qualification files, hours of service records, vehicle inspection and maintenance history, and drug and alcohol testing records. Retention periods are limited, and some are measured in months rather than years.
The truck records itself
Modern commercial vehicles carry electronic control modules capturing speed, braking, and throttle in the moments before impact. That data can be overwritten once the vehicle is back in service.
Why the company matters more than the driver
An employer is generally responsible for a driver acting in the scope of employment. It may also be independently responsible for how it hired, trained, supervised, and maintained. Those are separate claims proved with the company’s own documents.
The letter that has to go out first
A spoliation letter demands the carrier preserve all of it. Sent early it protects the case. Sent late it documents what is already gone.
