Recent studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety find that some technologies may be especially beneficial in identifying distracted drivers and preventing car accidents. Distracted driving is one of the main causes of auto accidents involving serious personal injuries.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released the findings of two new studies that show that roadside cameras are very beneficial in helping identify motorists who are using cell phones while driving. The study found, in fact, that these cameras were almost as beneficial as in – car monitoring systems that are designed to identify whether motorists are distracted by cell phones when at the wheel. The study also found that in – phone apps that measure and collate data about cell phone use while driving are also extremely beneficial in helping identify driving behaviors that are likely to result in car accidents.
Currently much of the data that we have on cell phone-related behavior by motorists at the wheel come from roadside surveys conducted every year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The data in this survey comes from cameras that are used by the federal administration to monitor driving behavior from morning to evening during a few weeks every summer. Obviously, the kind of data that results from a survey like this is fairly limited since it is only collected over a certain period of time every year. There are also limitations on the number of people that can be identified or monitored using this technology.
Over the past decade, the manner in which motorists use their cell phones and the purposes for which they use these electronic devices has changed significantly. There are also differences in the time of the day or night when cell phone use is likely to be at its highest as well as differences in the frequency of cell phone use while driving that must be identified and studied in order to design and implement the best possible strategies for reducing these behaviors.
The availability of high quality data is very important in car accident prevention efforts. For example, there are some types of cell phone – related behaviors that may be more dangerous than others and tools must be designed accordingly. Fortunately, other technologies are pointing the way forward.
Reducing the numbers of people who are killed in distracted driving car accidents is key to keeping our roads safer. While Georgia’s laws against distracted driving are some of the strictest in the country, we need more data about cell phone habits to strengthen future laws and develop new strategies to circumvent these threats.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you have suffered injuries in an auto accident, talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages. You may qualify for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your claim. Initial consultations are free.