NHTSA Looks To Encourage Dissemination Of Safety Technologies

On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Tuesday, November 26, 2013.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reportedly looking at potential ways to make safety features commonly offered in more expensive models more available to drivers with less money. These safety features include a number of technologies such as collision avoidance, alcohol detection, seat belt interlocks, and cell phone safety features.

Many of the features are designed to target specific driver behaviors know to be major causes of traffic accidents, including drunk driving, distracted driving, failure to wear a seat belt, and others. Take, for example, seat belt interlocks. This feature prevents the vehicle from operating until the driver or passenger properly buckles up. The NHTSA has said this feature could save roughly 3,000 lives per year, though it isn’t clear how widespread the technology would need to be to reach that level of safety improvement.

Driver alcohol detection is a concept similar to ignition interlock systems used by DWI offenders, only the technology is different. Basically, the vehicle would be unable to operate while the driver is above a certain threshold blood alcohol concentration. That technology is about five years out, though, according to experts.

Collision avoidance features are already fairly common in many new vehicles. The safety benefits of these features are obvious.  Already, thousands of lives have been saved because of these technologies.

As these technologies become more widespread in new vehicles, more and more people will benefit. Accidents are bound to still occur, though, and accident victims will always have need of protection from experienced legal advocates.

Source: Yahoo News, “Government speeds research on car safety systems,” Joan Lowy, November 14, 2013.