A new study analyzing the safety and effectiveness of lane-keeping technology offered some surprising results. According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, lane-keeping systems do not appear to be reducing the number of car accidents on our nation’s roads.
Before more drivers in North Carolina and throughout the country began purchasing vehicles equipped with lane departure warning systems, it was estimated that as many as 7,000 fatal car accidents would be prevented each year as a result of having this safety feature installed in more vehicles. Instead, this technology may be contributing to more auto accidents, according to recent data.
Lane-keeping technology, or a lane departure warning system, is supposed to alert a driver when his or her vehicle unintentionally veers into another lane of traffic or begins to drive off of the road. This could happen when a driver is distracted and not paying attention to the road or when a driver accidentally falls asleep behind the wheel. But according to a data analysis of property damage liability (PDL) claims, more collisions involving vehicles equipped with lane-keeping systems are being reported to insurance companies.
Some speculate that drivers are ignoring warnings as a result of receiving too many “false alarms” when driving with the technology. Researchers are not sure why more accidents involving vehicles equipped with the technology are occurring, though. More studies may be able to provide some answers as to why this technology doesn’t appear to be reducing crashes as hoped.
Although drivers might assume that newer vehicle safety systems will reduce their risk of causing or becoming involved in an accident, even the latest technology cannot prevent all types of crashes. For this reason, it is important that motorists continue to carry auto insurance in the event of a collision. Without adequate insurance coverage, accident victims and their families could suffer major financial consequences in addition to their physical and emotional pain and suffering after a serious crash.
If you have recently been injured in a crash caused by an uninsured/underinsured driver, you may want to consider working with an attorney to try to obtain the compensation you need and deserve for your medical expenses and other damages.
Source: WIRED, “Study Shows Electronic Driver Aids Mostly Help, Occasionally Hurt,” Damon Lavrinc, July 3, 2012