According to new research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, accident avoidance systems and adolescent-specific car technology have the ability to prevent or minimize up to three-quarters of fatal crashes involving young drivers.
Technologies don’t prevent 100 percent of but the research shows that the potential advantages for young drivers might be fairly remarkable if they were widely deployed.
Teen drivers are roughly four times as likely to crash as drivers 20 and older per mile driven, and they are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than any other age group except those aged 80 and up. Because of a unique mix of risk variables, including high rates of speeding, low seat belt use, and inexperience, this is the case.
Why are teen accidents more likely?
Teen drivers are usually poorer at identifying dangers and regulating their vehicles than more experienced drivers, according to previous studies, resulting in more loss-of-control and run-off-road incidents. Teen drivers are more likely to lose concentration and are less likely to slow down to adjust for slippery roads or poor vision. They’re also frequently engaged in right-angle and rear-end collisions.
As a result, even while accident-avoidance technologies like front crash prevention and lane departure prevention are meant for everyone, the safety advantages of these systems may be more important for young drivers.
There are vehicle safety features designed specifically for teens
Automobile manufacturers and software companies also provide technology tailored to young drivers. Parent-controlled speed limiters and gearshift or radio system interlocks that trigger when the front seat occupants aren’t strapped up are included in in-vehicle technology suites like Ford’s MyKey and GM’s Teen Driver.
Parents may get driving report cards or real-time warnings via smartphone applications like Hyundai’s BlueLink and Grom Social’s MamaBear if their adolescent is speeding or breaching nocturnal driving curfews.
What the research looked at
The researchers looked at passenger-vehicle collisions involving young drivers that happened on American roadways between 2016 and 2019. They were looking for collision scenarios that were relevant to front crash prevention, lane departure warning/prevention, and blind spot monitoring, specifically their affect on speeding prevention features, nighttime curfew notifications and extended reminders or gearshift interlocks to encourage seat belt use.
The researchers found that if such technologies were generally deployed and totally successful, they could avoid or minimize 41 percent of all adolescent driver collisions, as well as nearly half of teen driver injuries and more than thre out of four teen driver deaths.
If your teen has been injured in an accident, it is essential to request a free legal consultation from an experienced personal injury attorney. You can do that by calling The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000.
