Collision avoidance systems are saving lives in Pennsylvania and around the country, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. A representative for the organization said that research shows that warning technology works.
IIHS researchers collected data from more than 5,000 crashes that could have been prevented by blind spot warning and lane departure systems in 2015. They then studied whether vehicles with warning systems were involved in fewer accidents than vehicles without warning systems. They found that vehicles with collision avoidance systems were 11 percent less likely to be in head-on and sideswipe accidents involving a single vehicle. They also discovered that crash warning systems reduced injury crashes by 21 percent.
According to the IIHS, there would have been at least 55,000 fewer injury crashes in 2015 if all passenger vehicles had lane departure warning technology installed. However, adoption of the technology has been slow. In 2017, only 6 percent of new vehicles came with standard lane departure warning systems, and only 9 percent had standard blind spot warning systems.
Most car collisions are preventable accidents caused by human error. Individuals who have been injured in a car accident caused by the negligence of another motorist, such as one who was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, traveling too fast for weather or road conditions, or distracted by a cellphone, might want to have the help of a lawyer in seeking compensation for their losses such as medical expenses and property damage. The lawyer could initially seek a settlement offer from the at-fault motorist’s insurance company.
Source: CNBC, “New report shows how many accidents, injuries collision avoidance systems prevent”, Phil LeBeau, Aug. 23, 2017