Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on July 8, 2015
NTSB Says Collision Avoidance Technology Should Be Standard on All Vehicles
The National Transportation Safety Board is promoting the installation of high-tech collision avoidance systems in all vehicles in the future in order to reduce the number of accidents and injuries on the nation’s roadways.
A report by cnet.com states that the NTSB found that rear-end collisions kill 1,700 people each year and injure 500,000 more, but many of those collisions—up to 80 percent—could be avoided if the cars involved had been equipped with collision avoidance technologies.
Collision avoidance systems have been in development for more than 20 years and use sensors at different locations on a vehicle to determine if a crash is imminent. If a crash is detected by the sensors, the vehicle will automatically apply the brakes or steer itself away from a potential impact.
The NTSB recently audited the auto industry and found that only four out 684 vehicles released in 2014 came equipped with forward collision avoidance systems as a standard safety feature.
Despite the NTSB’s push for these safety features, the auto industry is slow to incorporate the systems into its vehicles, as it believes many drivers prefer the option of installing collision avoidance systems rather than making them standard features.
What Are the Most Important Safety Features in Vehicles?
Safety features are standard on vehicles in 2015, but for years almost all vehicles shipped with little to no protection for drivers and passengers. As in the industry has matured over the past century, auto manufacturers are focusing more and more on protecting drivers and passengers and keeping them safe not only during accidents, but also by helping prevent accidents from occurring in the first place.
Some of the most important safety features on modern vehicles include:
Seat belts were one of the first major safety features to be introduced in vehicles and they’ve saved countless lives. By keeping drivers and passengers restrained during accidents, seat belts have prevented an untold number of serious injuries and even ejections that would normally occur when accidents happen at high speeds. In recent years, safety belts have become more advanced due to sensors that detect sudden braking and swerving that puts the vehicle at risk for flipping over.
While seat belts hold drivers and passengers in place when the vehicle experiences a sudden deceleration or collision, air bags are there to minimize the impact of forces generated on the occupants. Front air bags protect drivers and passengers from striking their heads on the steering wheel or dashboard, while side air bags protect them from striking the window or door. Air bags have been essential for preventing serious head and neck injuries since their introduction as standard safety features.
Brakes aren’t just an essential part of a vehicle’s mechanical components—they’re also vital safety features that are becoming more and more sophisticated. Before anti-lock brakes were introduced, brakes had a tendency to lock up and cause vehicles to become difficult to control and even skid across the road, putting drivers and passengers at serious risk. As anti-lock brakes have advanced over the years, they rely more heavily on sensors that evenly distribute the braking to all four tires to give drivers more control and traction—even after they’ve slammed on their brakes to avoid an accident.
As Nashville car accident lawyers, Matt Hardin Law’s team knows that modern safety features are often the difference between walking away from a car accident and suffering debilitating or life-threatening injuries. However, we also know that modern safety features still leave car accident victims vulnerable to injuries—that’s why we support the advancement of safety features for all vehicles to further reduce the risks that drivers and passengers experience every time they drive.
If you or a loved one was injured in an auto accident caused by another person or party’s negligence, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your medical bills and lost wages. Get in touch with our team of attorneys today. Dial (615) 200-1111 or complete our free and easy consultation form.
