If you have gotten a new car in the last few years, you likely have a vehicle equipped with advanced safety features. Some of these features include blind-spot detectors, lane assistance, and forward-collision warning. Being offered on even the most basic models of new cars, drivers may falsely believe that this means the roads are now completely safe.
With an average of six million car accidents occurring annually, the personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of J.G. Winter know that the roads are still a dangerous place no matter the advanced safety features available to drivers. Drivers must realize that while advanced safety features are meant to aid you on the road, you should not rely on them entirely.
Common Advanced Safety Features in Cars
With technology steadily advancing in the motor vehicle industry, it should come as no surprise that advanced safety features are becoming more common in new cars. For example, backup cameras are now standard in several models. The following are common safety features many drivers are taking advantage of when buying a new car:
- Blindspot monitor
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Brake assist
- Parking assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Collision mitigation support
- Automatic high beams
- Lane keep assistance
- Sign recognition
- Adaptive front lighting
While these safety features are valuable, it is essential to use them as an extra set of eyes rather than rely on them entirely to drive safely.
Why Over-Relying on Safety Features is Dangerous
In research found by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, it was reported that advanced safety features could prevent 40 percent of car accidents and 30 percent of traffic-related deaths. This is a great statistic, but this only applies if the features are used correctly to understand how they work. Unfortunately, most people believe these features will “do everything for them,” but they could not be more wrong, and that is what makes this over-reliance so dangerous. The following are a few reasons it is important to remain cautious and alert while driving with safety features:
- Lack of Driver Understanding: Reading an instructions manual is never fun, but when you get a new car, the driver’s user guide is important in helping you to understand all the different features and how to use them correctly. Misusing or over-relying on a safety feature can have deadly results.
- Blind Spot Monitoring Has Limitations: This feature does not mean you do not have to look when switching into a new lane. You should always check your surroundings while you drive. A study found that 80 percent of drivers did not realize that blind spot detectors had limitations and were actively misusing this feature.
- Driver’s Are Too Comfortable: 25 percent of drivers operating a car with advanced safety features reported that they felt comfortable engaging in other tasks while driving.
Being the operator of a motor vehicle is a responsibility to yourself and other drivers and pedestrians you may encounter on the roads. While safety features are helpful, you need to remain engaged as a responsible driver to truly be safe while you drive.
California Car Accident Injury Attorneys Can Help You
Even with so much advancement in technology that makes the roads safer, accidents still happen every day. One of the most devastating injuries commonly found in victims of severe car accidents are brain injuries. When it comes to a catastrophic injury case like brain injury or the passing of a loved one, Jeremy Winter of the Law Offices of J.G. Winter has a personal connection to handling cases like this after losing his own mother to a car crash.
If you have fallen victim to personal injury resulting from a car crash, you should seek the help of an experienced California attorney. The experienced Law Offices of J.G. Winters are equipped with a passionate and aggressive approach to help build your injury claim. For a free consultation, fill out our online contact form or call (844) 734-2626.
