SMC Meeting Q4 2026

Description

2026 SMC Meetings Sponsored by:

Session 1: From Crash to Courtroom: Preserving Evidence, Managing Data & Preparing for the Deposition

When a truck is involved in a crash, the decisions made in the hours and days that follow can have a significant impact on a company's legal exposure. From preserving evidence to managing driver statements and electronic data, knowing what to do and when to do it is critical.

Join the upcoming Safety Management Council (SMC) meeting for an informative discussion led by attorneys Greg Jones and Chris Ashcraft of Wright Lindsey Jennings, LLP. They'll share legal perspectives on the challenges carriers face following a crash and practical steps companies can take to protect themselves.

Together, they'll explore when a company's obligation to preserve evidence begins, what drivers should and shouldn't say following an accident, how to protect attorney-client privilege during investigations and common mistakes that can complicate a company's defense.

Building on the council's third-quarter discussion of AI and telematics, the meeting will also examine how dashcam footage, driver safety scores, coaching alerts and other electronic records can become critical evidence in litigation. The discussion will address data retention, documenting responses to safety alerts and the importance of developing company policies that are both practical and defensible.

Don't miss this opportunity to ask questions, learn from real-world litigation experience and gain practical information to help reduce your company's legal exposure.

Session 2: What to Expect in a Deposition

After a crash, the legal consequences can extend far beyond the driver. Today, plaintiffs’ attorneys are increasingly putting the entire trucking company under scrutiny, using aggressive discovery tactics and detailed depositions to question safety directors and other company representatives.

Greg Jones and Chris Ashcraft of Wright Lindsey Jennings, LLP will lead a live deposition demonstration featuring safety managers, giving attendees a firsthand look at the questioning techniques they could face during litigation.

Attendees will learn:

• How litigation tactics are changing and how companies should respond
• Why traditional deposition preparation methods may no longer be effective
• Practical steps to better prepare drivers and safety representatives for depositions