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You can tell people about the dangers of drinking and driving or text driving, but sometimes more extraordinary measures need to be taken to ensure that people don’t do it.
The U.S. government is encouraging automakers to install technology that doesn’t let people drive when they are drunk or not properly buckled in more vehicles. Currently, these features are available in high-end vehicles and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration believes some of this technology could dramatically reduce motor vehicle collision fatalities.
Seatbelt interlocks can vary on what happens if drivers aren’t buckled in. They can prevent drivers from starting the vehicle, it could prevent drivers from switching to drive or it could force drivers to drive below a certain speed if they’re unbuckled. Automakers are more likely to install systems that ensure all vehicle occupants are buckled in rather than design a vehicle to prevent injury for an unbuckled occupant that’s thrown around during a crash. In 2010, there were 34 driver fatalities and 40.4 passenger fatalities from motor vehicle accidents where victims were not wearing seatbelts, according to Transport Canada. There are also more statistics about those who are seriously injured from not wearing a seatbelt. Seatbelts save the lives of up to 1,000 Canadians a year, according to a Transport Canada report.
There are driver alcohol detection systems in 20 U.S. states that are required for drivers that have been arrested or convicted for intoxicated driving, but the federal government hopes to expand that to all states. Those systems require drivers to breathe into a tube to test their blood alcohol level before starting the car. But automakers are working on systems that can detect a driver’s blood alcohol level when they put their hands on the steering wheel, push a start button or by breathing while inside the vehicle, according to the Associated Press. There’s a hope to have these systems in all vehicles, whether you’ve been convicted of driving intoxicated or not. Unfortunately, that technology could take half a decade to develop. But they could be worth the wait, since 75 per cent of convicted intoxicated drivers were less likely to drive drunk, according to studies.
While Collision Avoidance Systems could automatically slam on the brakes when it detects that a vehicle is getting to close to another. This is one of the most common types of vehicle accidents in the United States.
Other cars currently have blind spot monitoring, which notifies you when there is another vehicle in their blind spot, lane support systems, which notifies you when you’ve unknowingly drifted into the next lane when there’s another car and cameras, which help you back in or out of a parking spot. There’s also parental control that lets parents limit the speed if their teen child is driving and night vision pedestrian detection that warns drivers of pedestrians on the road, which would could curb the number of crashes that occur after the switch in daylight savings time.
Meanwhile, Vancouver’s city council is debating whether they should allow drivers to prepay to park in city parking spots overnight. This is already being done in Seattle. But there still needs to be more innovation towards stopping distracted driving, which has caused more accidents than impaired driving in some provinces.
Motor vehicle accidents happen and accident benefits are available to anyone involved in a motor vehicle accident regardless of who caused the accident. The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have been dealing with all accident related issues throughout Ontario for over 45 years. We know how to get you the compensation that you deserve and get your life back in order after being in a car accident. Call us at 416-920-4242, set up a free consultation, and come speak with us.
Greg Neinstein
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