In recent years, new technology has been added to many vehicles in an attempt to reduce car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and other serious accidents. But is this technology making it safer to drive on California roads or is it having the opposite effect? Keep reading to get the answer to this question and remember to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you have suffered an injury in a California accident and require a free legal consultation.
The Complications of Directly Answering the Question
Ideally, you would have a yes or no answer: does automotive technology help prevent car accidents or increase them? The truth is that it is impossible to give a simple answer to this complex question. Why? For one thing, it is often the case that there are mixed results. It is not as simple as saying one type of technology is good or bad – it might have both good and bad aspects.
Second, it is hard to determine whether or not a particular piece of technology is helping or hurting because it can be hard to determine what “worse” means. Consider that in the last 30 years, car accident rates have dropped, yet in the last ten years, they have started rising again. If there are more car accidents after new technology is installed, this does not automatically mean that the technology is to blame – there are many other factors involved.
The bottom line is this: data shows that some types of vehicle technology are helpful and others are harmful. For example, smartphones, smartwatches, and other distracting types of technology have been shown to increase the number of yearly accidents.
Technology That is Likely Helping
There are several types of technology that are likely doing more good than harm. Some examples, including backup cameras that help prevent accidents while backing up, automated parking that can reduce parking-related accidents, warning sensors that notify a driver if they swerve out of their lane or are coming up to a hazard, driver assist mode, accident warning sensors, and automatic window defogging.
The Most Dangerous Technology is Generally Brought into the Vehicle
The simplest way to look at it is this: in most cases, the dangerous technology is the technology that is brought into the vehicle, such as phones, tablets, etc. However, there are exceptions. Some screens within the car that offer information on what music is playing on the radio, what movie theaters are open nearby, and other potentially helpful information can actually be distracting and do more harm than good.
If you have been injured in a car accident, pedestrian accident, or other vehicle-involved accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
