Some drivers are turning off their collision avoidance systems

Not all drivers in South Carolina appreciate the warning beeps of their collision avoidance systems. A researcher at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suspects that some drivers become annoyed by the sounds meant to alert them to lane drifting or objects in their blind spots. Her comparison of studies about the influence of vehicle warning technology identified large discrepancies in crash reduction rates.

Two studies from 2015 gathered data about U.S. trucking fleets and Volvo passenger cars in Sweden with collision avoidance technology. Lane departure warning systems appeared to reduce crash rates in both studies by about 50 percent.

A separate study conducted by the IIHS researcher found an 11 percent crash reduction in vehicles equipped with warning systems. The IIHS study examined over 5,000 accidents that had the types of collisions, such as sideswipes and head-on crashes, that the warning systems aim to prevent. Because the crash reductions in this study fell far short of the 50 percent mark reported in other studies, she concluded that drivers were shutting off the alarms meant to prevent crashes. The IIHS report also noted that crash prevention systems only have a small presence among vehicles on the market in 2017. Collision avoidance technology appeared in only 6 percent of the standard packages for new vehicles.

Whether a driver has supportive technology or not, they still have a duty to avoid crashes. Someone hurt in a wreck caused by a reckless driver could ask an attorney familiar with litigating car accidents to prepare a personal injury lawsuit. The lawyer could track down evidence of the other driver’s negligence by requesting a police accident report or obtaining an accident evaluation from a specialist. This information could support a claim for compensation to pay medical bills.