Can Collision Warning Systems Reduce the Risk of Car Accidents?
For years the auto industry has focused its attention on making vehicles safer for drivers and passengers. While efforts have mostly centered around minimizing injuries in the event of an accident, there has been a shift in recent years. Automobile manufacturers are now largely committed to creating collision warning systems to reduce the risk of car accidents.
Collision warning systems can be found in almost all of the latest vehicle models, but they are still fairly new, so some question their effectiveness. The car accident lawyers at Chanfrau & Chanfrau help drivers in Daytona Beach, FL, Palm Coast, FL, and surrounding areas consider the effectiveness of these warning systems, and the risks that could still make accidents likely.
Types of Collision Warning Systems
Collision warning systems alert drivers of potential dangers in the hopes of preventing car accidents before they happen. Most systems alert drivers of risks so that they can take necessary action to avoid a collision, while some systems go so far as to automatically take action to prevent an accident.
There are many different types of car accidents that can occur, and as such, there are many different collision warning systems on the market. The types of collision warning systems that may be found in newer models of vehicles include:
- Auto emergency braking - Alerts drivers of an imminent crash, maximizes the car’s braking potential, and (if no driver action is taken) independently applies the brakes
- Rearview backup cameras - Cameras activate when the vehicle is in reverse so that drivers can easily see what is behind them; most provide an auditory alert if a collision is imminent
- Lane departure warning - Monitors and alerts a driver if their vehicle is departing from its lane and takes steps to ensure the vehicle stays in its lane if the driver doesn’t respond
- Cross-traffic alert system - Uses camera systems to alert drivers of approaching objects or vehicles
How Effective Are Collision Warning Systems?
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recently conducted a study to determine the effectiveness of collision warning systems. The study, which analyzed over 5,000 accidents involving the types of crashes that lane departure and blind spot warning systems are meant to prevent, found that this technology is effective.
According to Jessica Cicchino, IIHS vice president for research, the rate of single vehicle, side-swipe, and head-on collisions was 11 percent lower in vehicles with collision warning systems. According to the study, collision warning technology cut the injury rate in these types of crashes by 21 percent.
Other Risks that Can Cause an Accident
While the effects of collision warning systems are promising, accident risks still remain. The main accident risk is inattentive drivers. If a driver is under the influence, distracted by their phone, or simply unaware, they may not respond to the warnings that a collision system provides. Some drivers have even reported disabling collision warning systems because they find them to be a nuisance. And finally, as is always the risk with technology, these systems are capable of malfunctioning. With all things considered, the best way for a driver to minimize the risk of an accident is to stay alert and practice defensive driving.
Contact Chanfrau & Chanfrau
Despite advances in safety technology, automobile accidents occur on a regular basis. If you’ve been injured in a car crash, the attorneys at Chanfrau & Chanfrau can help you pursue compensation for accident damages. Send us a message online to get in touch with our legal team, or call our Daytona Beach firm at (386) 258-7313.