Ohio motorists may be interested in the recent National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that calls for collision avoidance systems to become standard equipment in all new commercial and passenger vehicles. The recommendation was released in a 60-page report, along with a statement by the NTSB chairman indicating that the updates should not be reflected in the cost of buying a new car. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers did not immediately respond to the recommendation, but past statements indicate that the industry trade group prefers to allow consumers to decide whether to purchase a vehicle with a collision avoidance system.
According to the NTSB, collision avoidance systems can prevent or minimize the damage of rear-end collisions, which kill approximately 1,700 people each year and injure another 500,000.
The NTSB has earlier stated that U.S. government should require auto manufacturers to include collision-prevention technology in all new vehicles to prevent deaths and injuries. Because the potential benefits of collision avoidance systems are so significant, the NTSB believes that they should be part of each new vehicle’s standard operating equipment. Little progress has been made on those recommendations due to limited public awareness and a lack of incentives, according to the NTSB. Additional recommended systems would provide warning of imminent crashes and help drivers stay in the proper lane.
Despite the introduction of safety equipment over the past several years, many accidents are due to unavoidable driver error. Those who sustain life-altering injuries in a car accident caused by a driver who was inattentive, speeding or otherwise negligent may be able to recover compensation for their damages through a personal injury lawsuit. An attorney who has experience in this area can often be of assistance to such a victim in examining a variety of forms of evidence in an attempt to demonstrate negligence.