Crash Warning Systems May Reduce Hartford Accidents
Collision warning systems have become more advanced and a more popular option in vehicles throughout Hartford, New Britain and Norwich. The purpose of these systems is to alert drivers to an imminent collision and, in some cases, to allow the car to take automated action if a driver does not move to stop a crash.
A rear-end accident lawyer knows that these technologies can have an impact on preventing crashes where one driver hits the rear of another motorist’s vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published an in-depth report about the impact of early warning systems for rear-end crash prevention.
Warning Systems Aim to Prevent Rear-End Accidents
Rear-end collisions are an incredibly common type of accident on the roads in the United States. One in-depth study of accidents in different states conducted by the University of North Carolina found rear-end accidents accounted from anywhere between 27.5 percent to 43.2 percent of all roadways crashes.
A collision warning system can have a big impact on reducing these kinds of accidents. The NHTSA report suggests an early warning system can result in an 81 percent decline in the number of rear-end crashes that happen. A late warning system, on the other hand, reduces the risk of rear-end collisions by only 50 percent.
Early warning systems also do a better job at reducing the severity of a rear-end accident that cannot be avoided. When an early warning system alerts a driver to an impending rear-end collision, the driver is able to try to slow down or stop. The reduced kinetic energy because of the slower moving vehicle results in crash severity being reduced by as much as 96.5 percent.
A late warning system, on the other hand, does not allow as much time for deceleration so the car is moving faster when it strikes. Still, crash severity is reduced by around 88 percent on a late warning system as compared with no warning system at all.
Car manufacturers should be aware that early warning systems tend to do a much better job both at preventing crashes and at reducing the risk of serious injuries or fatalities. Development of collision warning systems should focus on letting drivers know early on when there is a chance of an accident.
However, early warning systems could also be more prone to false positives, which can counter their effectiveness and cause motorists to pay less attention and react less quickly when a warning is issued. The systems need to be designed carefully to give ample warning but to limit false positives.
Collision prevention systems have improved, and will continue to improve. Still, drivers need to remember that it is their responsibility to pay careful attention to the road and that they cannot rely on technology alone to keep them safe.
Contact a Hartford accident attorney today at the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone & Morelli. Call 1-800-WIN-WIN-1 for your free case consultation. Â Also serving New Britain and Norwich to Manchester, New Haven and the Waterbury-area.Â
