Can Car Accidents Be Eliminated?

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury

Cars are safer than ever before. Cars are increasingly coming equipped with forward collision warning systems, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, autobraking, adaptive headlights and adaptive cruise control. Google is testing driverless technology and expects to have the technology available to automakers by 2020. Four states, one of which is Florida, have passed laws allowing driverless cars on the roads. Just recently Audi introduced the Audi A7 with Audi Pilot that drove from San Francisco to Las Vegas to be introduced at the International CES 2015 (one of the largest electronics and technology events in the world). It drove the 550 miles at speeds of up to 70MPH while navigating in and out of traffic and during both day and night conditions. The days of driving are over, right? By 2017, Audi hopes to have an autonomous car on the market, though the sticker price will probably prevent the average American from owning one. By 2040, analysts are expecting that 75% of cars will be driverless.

The Current Safety Features

While it is neat to imagine a world where going on a road trip meant just strapping in for a nap, it is also pretty exciting to look at the safety technology that will actually affect the average Floridian in the near future. Today, many manufacturers offer forward collision warning systems, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, autobraking, adaptive headlights and adaptive cruise control as safety features on certain models. These technologies are meant to assist the human driver and alert that driver of dangers faced while driving.

Adaptive Cruise Control

How often on road trips do you become frustrated when the driver in front of your car slows and forces you to tap the brakes and disengage the cruise control? Adaptive cruise control will use a predetermined distance between your car and any traffic in front of your car. It will use the engine and brakes to adjust the speed of your car to account for slower traffic. When the cars in front begin to speed up or leave your lane, the car will automatically return to the speed set for the cruise control. This video provides an example of how the adaptive cruise control works.

Adaptive Headlights

Adaptive headlights allow the driver to more clearly see the road in front of the car. The car will automatically adjust high and low beams, but that is only the beginning. Adaptive headlights will also turn slightly based upon steering and speed of the car. Instead of illuminating the side of the road in a sharp curve, the headlights will pivot allowing the driver a clear view of the roadway.

Lane Departure Warning and Prevention

Lane departure warning and prevention systems will warn and/or prevent a car from leaving its lane, provided the turn signal is not activated. The system uses cameras to detect the lane and will give either a warning, in the form of sound or vibration in the seat that the car is leaving its lane. Some cars actually steer the car back into the correct lane. The system while helpful is likely of little or no use in inclement weather.

Blind Spot Detection

Blind spot detection systems use sensors that alert the driver when a car or motorcycle has entered the blind spot of the automobile. The car will then issue an alert to the driver. This alert is usually a light on the mirror indicating that another car or motorcycle is in the vehicle’s blind spot. Some systems actually will steer the car to avoid a collision with a vehicle in the blind spot.

Front Crash Prevention

Front crash prevention systems rely upon radar or cameras to judge the distance between your car and objects in the road, including other cars and motorcycles. When the system detects that the car is approaching an object too quickly it will warn the driver to brake. Some systems will actually tighten seatbelts and adjust the seats to minimize injuries while others will bring the car to a stop.

The accident free car may not be on the road just yet, but it is clear that automakers are making great strides to reduce the number and severity of automobile accidents.

Contact an Experienced Car and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Jones Law Group

Have you or a loved one been injured in a car or motorcycle accident? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg accident attorney at Jones Law Group today. When you contact our office we will immediately set an appointment where you will meet your attorney and be provided with his/her personal contact information. If you do not have transportation or you cannot drive, your attorney will travel to meet you and discuss your case with you.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by the negligence of another, you should immediately call an experienced personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg at Jones Law Group at (727) 571-1333 during regular business hours or (727) 753-8657 on weekends or after regular business hours. We will evaluate your case for free and you will never pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for your injuries.

Jones Law Group
5622 Central Avenue
St. Pete, FL 33707

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