Lane departure and blind spot warning systems reduce crashes

Owners of newer vehicles in New Mexico that include safety technology that warns drivers of lane departures and objects in blind spots appear to be benefiting from the automatic systems. Research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety detected an 18 percent reduction in sideswipe and head-on collisions in vehicles equipped with these alarms. Injuries fell by 24 percent as well, and deadly accidents dropped by 86 percent.

Commercial trucking operators using lane departure warning systems slashed wrecks associated with lane drifting by almost half according to a 2015 study. A study involving Volvo cars in Sweden with similar technology also produced a significant 53 percent reduction in accidents.

When other studies from IIHS looked at autonomous braking systems meant to prevent front crashes, front-to-rear accidents went down by 50 percent. Rear view cameras provided some relief from backup crashes, but the results were not as dramatic. The cameras only seemed to stop one in six crashes.

Although the data supports the safety claims of safety technology developers, safe vehicle operation remains dependent on human factors. Drivers who are tired or physically impaired could have slow reaction times and still get into wrecks even when warned of an imminent hazard.

Car accidents caused by reckless or negligent drivers could leave victims physically disabled and financially troubled. A person who needs support with a personal injury claim could ask an attorney to prepare the case. An attorney may be able to examine the other party’s insurance policy to identify coverage and assemble documentation about the crash and the victim’s resulting medical costs. After filing a lawsuit, an attorney may opt to open negotiations for a pretrial settlement. With legal representation, a person might overcome attempts by the responsible party to avoid paying damages.