California drivers and collision avoidance system technology

 Posted on June 15, 2015 in Car Accidents

California motorists may have heard that the National Transportation Safety Board has once again called for collision avoidance technology in every new vehicle. On the subject of who should pay for the technology, the NTSB chairman explained that because drivers do not have to pay extra for seat belts, they should not have to pay extra for vehicles equipped with collision avoidance systems either. In its recent report, the NTSB suggests that collision avoidance systems could help prevent thousands of accident-related injuries and fatalities every year.

The agency believes that collision avoidance systems could significantly lessen the impact of or even prevent rear-end crashes. It went on to say that if the systems were made standard, the severity of more than 80 percent of rear-end collisions could be reduced. It has been estimated that this type of collision kills around 1,700 people each year and injures 500,000 more.

While the NTSB has taken a firm stance on whether automakers should equip all new vehicles with collision avoidance technology, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers has taken a contrary position. Although it did not comment on the most recent NTSB report, the industry group has said in the past that consumers should be the ones to decide whether they want a vehicle with collision avoidance technology.

Those who are injured in car collisions often face mounting medical bills and are unable to return to their place of employment, with the loss of wages further adding to the adverse financial situation. In the event that the accident was caused by the negligence of another driver, a personal injury attorney might assist an injured victim through the preparation and filing of a civil lawsuit seeking appropriate damages from the responsible party.