Car Crash Survival Rates are Up
In 2015, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) stated that fatality rates in car crashes had decreased by 1/3 in the last three years. Modern vehicles are getting safer. Advances in technology have allowed vehicles to crash smarter to ensure our survival. The goal moving forward is to prevent crashes all together utilizing technology. There are various different safety features in modern vehicles designed to prevent us from having to experience an airbag deploy.
Crash Prevention Systems in Cars
Auto manufactures may have different names for their safety technology systems. Not all modern vehicles can be optioned with crash preventative systems. If you are in the market for a new vehicle its worth researching what safety features your vehicle preference comes with. Below you may find a few of our favorite car accident safety features.
Forward Collision warning (FCW)
As the name states, this features allows the vehicle to warn you if you are able to run into a car in front of you. Radar inside the vehicle measures the distance between you and the nearest object in front. The vehicle will notice if the distance is getting closer and the brakes are not being applied. The collision warning can be visual and/or audible. Depending on the vehicle; a warning flash can appear on your windshield and the dashboard will beep. More advanced FCW systems will use automatic emergency braking (AEB) if you fail to heed the warning. According to IIHS, all accidents involving vehicles with FCW have dropped by 15%.
Automatic emergency braking (AEB)
This allows the vehicle to literally stop itself if it senses that it is about to crash into something. Useful at low speeds like around parking lots. AEB can also slow down collision speeds to improve your chances of walking away without injury in a car crash or truck wreck.
Lane departure warning (LDW)
Drowsy driving can be just as fatal as drunk or distracted driving. This is what LDW was invented for. It is a visual or audible warning that appears when the vehicle senses the driver crossing lanes without signaling. If a driver tries to switch lanes without signaling the vehicle will assume that the driver is not paying attention. The warning can cause a driver to refocus on the road.
Lane keeping assist (LKA)
A more advanced version of LDW. This feature will allow the vehicle to correct itself back into its lane. If a driver becomes distracted and starts to drift into another lane the vehicle will quickly steer itself back. A strange sensation the first time you experience it because you feel the wheel correct itself. It feels like the vehicle is driving itself. This can be a life saver on long distance journeys where driving fatigue can happen.
Blind spot warning (BSW)
No more having to worry about the infamous blind spot. No more having to twist your neck to make sure the road is clear to merge. With BSW the vehicle knows if something is near its blind spot and will warns the driver. In a situation where a driver signals to merge into a lane, and a truck is in its blind spot, the vehicle will beep to warn the driver that it is unsafe. Certain vehicles have a symbol in the corner of the side mirrors that flashes whenever a vehicle is in the blind spot.
Rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA)
Using sensors, RCTA is a system that warns you if an object is suddenly behind you while reversing. Even though all modern vehicles will be required to have backup cameras starting 2018 this is a collision warning. In situations like crowded parking lots where other vehicles can pass by while a driver is trying to back out of a space, or in driveways where children can run across the back of a vehicle. RCTA is not a substitute for using a backup camera or turning your head. This is just an extra precautionary measure to avoid rear-end collisions.
Safety and Protection after a Car Crash
We hope it won’t be long until all these safety features come as standard on all modern vehicles. Until then, if you or a loved one is involved in a car accident it is recommended that you contact a personal injury attorney immediately. A car accident lawyer can help get you the cash settlement you need to get your life back on track after an auto accident. Davis Law Firm is here 24/7 to listen to your case. Our legal representatives offer free consultations at no cost to you. Jeff Davis is the Texas Personal Injury Lawyer that will fight for you! Contact us today! We have offices in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville and Waco, Texas! Call the 4’s or call the 9’s! 210-444-4444 / 956-444-4444 / 361-999-9999