Traffic deaths are on the rise in the U.S., surging to 31,720 in the first nine months of 2021 — the highest nine-month figure since 2006. Although improvements in road infrastructure are positioned to reverse this concerning trend, innovative car technology is also playing a key role in improving road safety. For example, front automotive emergency braking alone reduces front-to-rear crashes by as much as 50%.
Roads that charge electric vehicles
Electric cars aren’t just better for the environment, they’re also just as safe as their gas counterparts — injury claims for electric vehicles are roughly 40% less common than accidents involving gas cars. Additionally, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently awarded a host of new electric vehicles (including manufacturers like Volvo, Ford, and Tesla) with “safety pick” honors. And, now roads are even being designed to charge electric vehicles on the move — what’s known as “dynamic charging” — so driver’s don’t end up with flat batteries. Dynamic charging is a simple yet revolutionary concept that involves embedding pads under the roads, which transmit electricity wirelessly to receivers placed underneath electric vehicles. It’s hoped these roads will be rolled out within the next ten years.
Read Legal Options After A Car Accident In Illinois.
Autobraking tech
Automatic emergency braking tech — which automatically stops or slows a vehicle if it senses imminent collision — was installed in nearly all 2021 vehicles made by over 12 major automakers. In fact, the IIHS estimates that if all car manufacturers meet their voluntary goal of installing autobraking tech in almost all new vehicles by September 2022, a whopping 42,000 crashes and 20,000 injuries could be prevented by 2025. Despite the safety benefits offered by automatic emergency braking tech, road collisions may, however, still occur. Poor road conditions, speeding, and distracted and drunk driving are some of the key causes of severe road accidents, which in turn typically result in property damage, physical and emotional injury, loss of income, and potentially even death. In the case of a road accident, it’s important those involved get in touch with a reputable car accident attorney to help protect their legal rights and pursue rightful financial compensation, FVF Law, an Austin accident law firm explains.
Ignition interlock devices
Roughly 28 people in the U.S. are killed everyday in drunk driving accidents. Ignition interlock devices (IIDs) can put an end to these preventable deaths; they’re installed in cars and work just like breathalyzers by measuring the amount of alcohol on the driver’s breath. The driver blows into the handset and their breath sample is analyzed by an alcohol-specific sensor. If the sample is alcohol-free, they’re free to start driving. If, on the other hand, their blood alcohol levels are too high, the engine won’t start.
Driving is being made safer than ever thanks to new innovations in technology. Roads that charge electric vehicles, automatic emergency braking tech, and IIDs are just some of the latest developments improving car safety and helping prevent road accidents.
