Why Aren’t Car Accident Rates Lower With Safety Technology?
The cars we drive today are an entirely different beast than the vehicles you’d see on Southern California roads 10 or 20 years ago. Vehicle manufacturers have rapidly improved their safety offerings in an effort to capture a larger share of the market and secure those all-important safety rankings that consumers look to when buying vehicles. Still, if you look at accident rates—both in our state and across the country—it’s easy to wonder why we aren’t seeing dramatic decreases. At DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP, we’ve investigated many car accidents and we know what factors play a role in most collisions. Give our car accident law firm a call at 855-WINNING (946-6464) to set up a time to discuss your case with our team.
When you’ve been injured in a car crash, having the right car accident attorney backing you up can play a crucial role in the outcome of your case. That’s why it’s time to reach out to DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP. Our team has nearly five decades of experience behind them, representing injured victims, grieving families, and those left in financial distress because of another person’s negligence. Our team is well-known for their aggressive and evidence-based approach to negotiating and trying cases, allowing us to rack up a wide range of settlements and court awards. Learn more about car accident rates and safety technology, and when you’re ready to take the first step in your case, contact us.
How Safety Technology Has Improved Road Safety
There’s no question that improvements in vehicle safety have done a lot to reduce car accidents. But when you look at crash rates across the United States, what you find may make you feel less than hopeful.
Statistics do indicate that safety systems, including adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection, have had a positive impact on accident outcomes. The average insurance claim for bodily harm is 27% lower and the average property damage claim is 19% lower when driver assistance systems are involved—good news for car accident lawyers. However, you’ll note that this means there are claims. Accidents are still happening, but in many cases, they are less severe.
This isn’t always the case, of course. Safety features also prevent accidents. There are many drivers who have nearly rear-ended someone when checking on their kids or changing their music, only to have their automatic emergency braking kick in and save the day.
So, if these features are so beneficial, why are accident rates not dropping dramatically?
Limitations of Driver Assistance Technology
There are limitations to any sort of technology, and that includes driver assistance systems. They are only as good as the input they receive, and in some cases, that input is limited. Consider rural areas where signs tend to be worn out or covered by brush—a system that recognizes road signs and alerts drivers to respond accordingly isn’t going to identify those signs in time. You also have to think about the behavior of other drivers, as no amount of safety technology in your own vehicle will stop another driver from swerving into your lane to save half a second or rear-ending your car because they don’t leave an appropriate amount of space in heavy traffic. As technology improves—and it is every single day—these limitations will shrink, but in the meantime, car accident attorneys will still continue to see devastating avoidable collisions.
Limited Accessibility in Older Cars
If you go shopping for a new car, many of the safety features that make driving easier and less stressful are built into even the lowest trim for each model. But that doesn’t account for the millions of cars on the road that are a decade or more old. There’s minimal incentive for drivers to upgrade, considering that purchasing a vehicle with driver assistance technology tends to save drivers less than 1% on their car insurance. It’s important to make these upgrades more appealing on a wider scale, perhaps through subsidies or more competitive insurance rates. The research backs up that this technology works, and insurance companies need to catch up.
The Role of Human Error
Finally, no amount of safety technology can eliminate the role of human error. Even completely autonomous vehicles are reliant on humans who program and monitor them. While safe driving technology will undoubtedly continue to reduce accident rates, there will always be some accidents arising from a human driver’s poor judgment.
Find Out How DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP Can Help You
Wondering if you need a car accident lawyer after your Southern California collision? The team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP is here to learn more about your case and get you on the right path. Contact our car accident law firm online or call us at 855-WINNING (946-6464).
Mark Algorri has successfully represented individuals and their families in matters involving serious and catastrophic injuries, insurance claims denials, and wrongful deaths, achieving a success rate of 99 percent for our clients.