The level of technology installed in modern cars has reached a level few could have imagined just a decade ago. Is all this technology making us better drivers? Many industry experts pointed to technology as a solution to car accidents and at the same time other experts believed it would only make drivers worse. The best place to decide better from worse is the data. What does the data say about technology and driving skills?
The results are mixed. It’s a challenge to quantify what “better” and “worse” means. The reality is car accident rates have dropped significantly in the last quarter century. With that being said accident rates are on the rise over the last decade. Even the empirical data suggests some forms of automotive technology is helpful, while others like cell phones, smartwatches, etc. lead to thousands of accidents annually.
What about the latest technology in cars? Technology is being added to every area of our life. Some experts suggest that people have become smarter drivers in the couple of decades while almost every expert and driver would agree that automotive technology has made a profound difference. Some of the technology found in many new cars include:
- Backup cameras
- Automated parking – typically an option
- Autopilot/Assisted-driver mode – Tesla among others
- Accident warning sensors – Typically an option
- Automatic window defogging
There’s an abundance of lifesaving technology inside most new vehicles. We also know that it isn’t the technology installed in the car that causes most distracted driving accidents. These accidents happen as a result of the technology we bring into the car. Pre-installed technology has made driving less stressful and safer. The addition of cell phones, smartwatches, dash-cams, GPS devices, and other such additions almost encourage distracted driving which results in more crashes. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that over 3,000 fatalities result from distracted driving along with more than 350,000 people injured due to distracted driving.
It’s difficult to avoid distractions while driving. Drivers must combat the urge to read a text message, look for different music, look on social media or play with an app. Here are a few tips to help you avoid the dangers of distracted driving.
- Only use your cell phone for emergencies – pull to the side of the road.
- Avoid multi-tasking – just driving responsibly will keep you busy.
- If so equipped enable the “driving mode” on your cell phone.
- Keep all unnecessary technology out of reach and sight.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people.. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We would be honored to represent you!
