Research Reveals Flaws with Car Safety Technology

Research Reveals Flaws with Car Safety Technology

Technology continues to evolve in nearly every area of our lives, and vehicle safety is no exception. While modern technology is generally quite useful and effective, this isn’t always the case. When the technology in question involves motor vehicle safety, it can be especially dangerous when it doesn’t live up to your expectations. A recent study reveals that new pedestrian safety technology is less effective than advertisements would have us believe, and the consequences can be deadly. If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident caused by a negligent motorist, contact an experienced Kansas Auto Accidents Attorney today. 

The AAA Study

A recent study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) concludes that technology intended to increase pedestrian safety via pedestrian detection is not as effective as the manufacturers report. AAA put four different manufacturers’ most popular vehicles to the test under a variety of driving conditions and the results were revelatory, including:

• After the sun sets, a vehicle’s pedestrian-detection technology can’t see pedestrians much better than its driver.
• All of the pedestrian-safety technology tested were ineffective at night. 
• 75 percent of all traffic accidents that lead to pedestrian fatality in the United States happen at night.

The car manufacturers involved all include warnings about their pedestrian-detection technology’s limitations in their vehicles’ owner’s manuals, but this may not be enough to dissuade drivers from relying too heavily upon it. Nevertheless, drivers should be forewarned and should always make seeing pedestrians in their midst one of their top priorities. 

Pedestrian-Detection Technology

The pedestrian-detection technology tested was most useful when detecting an adult pedestrian stepping in front of a vehicle moving at 20 mph in the light of day. The exact results are as follows (related to all four vehicles, collectively):

• The technology avoided collision about 40 percent of the time.
• The technology reduced the speed at impact by 4.4 mph about 35 percent of the time. 
• The smaller the pedestrian, the less effective the technology becomes.
• The faster the vehicle’s speed, the less effective the technology becomes. 

In other words, pedestrian-detection technology fails to greatly decrease the odds of being in a pedestrian accident, and pedestrians and motorists alike should recognize this fact.   

Rear-End Collisions

Despite the meager successes of technology related to pedestrian-detection, other kinds of safety technology have been deemed quite effective. Studies related to collision-avoidance technology find that this advancement helps to significantly reduce the number of rear-end crashes on our roads. 

If You’ve Been Injured in a Pedestrian Accident, Consult with an Experienced Kansas Personal Injury Attorney Today

Safety-related technology continues to march forward, but some of these technologies – like pedestrian detection – are simply not very effective and should not be relied upon by motorists. If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident, the experienced legal team at  Pyle Law in McPherson, Kansas, is committed to helping you. Attorney Tom Pyle has the experience, dedication, and skill to fight for your rights and your rightful compensation. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at (888) 381-1155 today.