Do Crash Avoidance Systems Help Reduce Car Accidents?

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on November 2, 2011

The name “crash avoidance system” applies to a wide range of different kinds of technology installed in vehicles to help drivers operate their vehicles safely and avoid accidents. These features may alert the driver when the car is too close to another vehicle on the front or side, when the vehicle is drifting out of its lane, or when a car or another object is in the driver’s blind spot. Many drivers are already familiar with rear-facing cameras in cars that show the driver what is behind the vehicle.

Although many types of crash avoidance systems are available, do they really help reduce the number of accidents that cause serious injury or death on U.S. roads? For many of these systems, there’s not enough information yet to be sure, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). Electronic stability control (ESC) systems have been shown to reduce the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes by up to 49 percent by helping the vehicle stay on the road if it enters a curve or swerves too quickly or too sharply, according to one study. Similarly, sensors in Volvo vehicles that alert the driver when the car might rear-end something ahead of it reduced both injuries and crashes that caused vehicle damage, according to research by the Highway Loss Data Institute.

On the other hand, anti-lock brakes, another well-known type of crash avoidance technology, haven’t actually reduced the number of injury-causing accidents on the road, contrary to researchers’ expectations. More research is needed to understand why this promising technology has not reduced accidents, according to the IIHS.

At Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S., an experienced car accident lawyer in Washington is dedicated to helping those injured in car accidents get the compensation they need to recover after an accident. For a free and confidential consultation, please don’t hesitate to call us today at (888) 228-3860.