The massive $1 trillion infrastructure bill that is set to pass has good news for American motorists and traffic safety advocates. It contains language that could signify the administration’s intention to reduce the accident risks caused by impaired drivers.
Driver detection technologies that currently exist as part of driverless cars also help reduce the risks from drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs. In the quest for the fully automated vehicle, automakers have invested heavily in technology that can easily override a driver and prevent an accident. These systems could also be very useful if integrated in current automobiles, and the administration seems to focusing in this direction.
The provision would require the Department of Transportation to develop a technology standard within a period of three years. It would then give automakers a period of two years to develop and integrate these safety tech systems. The provision could require automakers to integrate technology in their automobiles that could detect if drivers have consumed alcohol. The system could prevent the driver from starting the car if the alcohol count is too high, or could place other restrictions on the motorist, thereby restricting his ability to drive and cause harm to himself and others. Another approach could be having technology like lane departure warning systems that could self correct if the car veers off its lane. Eye tracking technology is also in various stages of development at some companies. Volvo has also invested in drunk driving detection technology in the driverless vehicles that it is developing.
It is heartening to note that the administration is focusing on solving some of the oldest and hard-to-resolve problems in traffic safety, namely the challenges involving impaired and distracted drivers. Many technologies could work well for detecting both distraction as well as alcohol impairment. Some technologies could also help detect drowsiness. Eye tracking technologies, for instance, could play a part in detecting not just impairment, but also distraction or drowsiness.
Drunk driving remains one of the biggest killers on American roads, causing more accidents than any other accident factor, except speeding. Accidents accused by an intoxicated motorist are typically high -impact accidents that cause severe damage to life and property. Catastrophic injuries are common in these accidents and the rates of fatalities compared to other types of accidents is also high. Drunk driving, for instance, causes motorists to make mistakes that can have them driving the wrong way or running red-lights, two situations that have the potential to cause devastating car accidents.
The Atlanta car accident attorneys at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons injured in car and auto accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, talk to an Atlanta car accident attorney at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers, and determine your legal options to a claim for damages. You could qualify for damages that include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and other types of damages. Talk to a lawyer at our firm, and determine your legal rights to a claim.