Drowsy or distracted drivers pose a serious danger to other users of New Orleans’ streets.  Because most personal injury motor vehicle accidents are, at least to some degree, attributable to the negligence of one or more of the drivers, auto manufacturers have been working for years on new technologies that will assist drivers in decision making.  One of the latest of these involves monitoring systems designed to help the driver remain in the correct lane.

While several auto makers have quietly introduced systems designed to assist in lane centering for a limited number of vehicles in recent years, the Ford Motor Company recently announced that it will be offering what it terms “lane-keeping technology” as an option on certain 2013 models.  This system is apparently much more comprehensive than earlier systems and, under certain conditions, allows the system to take control of the steering to return the vehicle to the center of the driving lane.

It works by using a camera to monitor lane position.  If the vehicle drifts towards either edge of the lane, a vibration is sent to the steering wheel.  If the driver does not then correct the drift, the system takes control of the steering and returns it to the center lane.  The system also monitors for signs of driver fatigue, such as weaving within the lane, and alerts the driver if it believes rest is needed.

Because the lane-keeping system relies on the ability to distinguish lane markings, the manufacturer acknowledges that the system is not flawless, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has decided not to recommend such technology to the public until additional research is conducted. 

Unfortunately, the situations where these systems are anticipated to be most likely to fail – around curves, in heavy rain, or where bright sunlight is hitting the camera, for example – also tend to be the same situations where an automobile accident would be most likely to occur.

Ultimately, while current technology may lead to safer cars under certain circumstances, it is no substitute for an alert, vigilant driver who can analyze situations as they unfold.  The best way to avoid involvement in a personal injury auto accident is to make sure you are adequately rested and paying attention to the road when driving.

If you have suffered injury in a motor vehicle accident, we would be happy to help you.  Please reach out to us at 716-542-5444.

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Next time you take a walk around Buffalo, pay attention to the sound of the cars.  While we have all complained at some point about cars and trucks roaring by and disturbing our peace and quiet, a recent study by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that this noise helps pedestrians and bicyclists avoid serious injury.

This government study involved research into accidents involving hybrid vehicles, which usually run on electric power at slower speeds and, as a result, emit little noise.  While the percentage of hybrid vehicles on the roads today is still small, auto manufacturers are releasing a number of new hybrid and fully electric models in 2012, and the number of these vehicles on the roads in expected to grow significantly in the next few years.  The NHTSA conducted this study based on concerns that this influx of quiet vehicles on the roads may ultimately prove hazardous.

The study found that hybrid cars were twice as likely to strike a pedestrian or bicyclist as vehicles with internal combustion engines.  The primary reason for this dramatic difference would appear to be that pedestrians and bicyclists did not hear the hybrid vehicle approaching prior to being struck.  While this finding should concern everyone, it is of specific significance to the blind and visually-impaired, who are at greater risk because they rely on their ability to hear vehicles when walking on or near roadways.

Because the number of quiet vehicles on the roads is expected to increase significantly, the NHTSA is proposing that hybrid and electric vehicles be required by law to make noise at slower speeds.  In an effort to come up with a sound that would both protect pedestrians and bicyclists and work for drivers who want a nice, quiet car, the NHTSA has both consulted with professional sound studios and accepted proposals on Facebook.

If you have been injured by a car, please feel free to call us at 716-542-5444.  We would be happy to explain your legal rights to you.

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All Buffalo residents rely on the police and other emergency operators, such as firefighters and paramedics, to keep us safe.  As a result, there are certain driving rules, including speeding and passing red lights, that these drivers are specifically exempted from when engaged in an emergency operation.

For all emergency vehicles except police cars, the vehicles lights and siren must be activated before they may violate the normal rules of the road.  Police vehicles, however, are not required to activate their lights and siren before engaging in the proscribed conduct.

Despite this rule, police vehicles – like other emergency responders – are required to be responding to an emergency operation before violating the normal rules of the road.  Even in such a situation, they still are not completely unfettered from any driving rules.  In a lawsuit, however, it must be shown that the emergency operator was not only negligent, but driving with “reckless disregard” for others.  This is a much more difficult standard to prove.

If you have been injured in a car accident and have any questions, please feel free to call us at 716-542-5444.

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It is no surprise that the percentage of Buffalo personal injury auto accidents that may be attributable to distracted driving seems to have increased as cell phones and texting have become prevalent.  Recently, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator David Strickland noted that the biggest challenge his agency faces is finding the right balance between new technologies that make it easier for drivers to report serious accidents – potentially saving lives – and the potential for the very same technology to distract drivers and cause personal injury accidents.

Automakers have increasingly incorporated new communications technology into their vehicles that can be useful in obtaining help during an emergency.  Unfortunately, many of these devices and systems rely upon cell phones or other electronic technology that have been shown to lead to accidents by distracting drivers.

Mr. Strickland noted that 90 percent of motor vehicle accidents are the fault of drivers, and that the NHTSA is concerned over the number of motor vehicle deaths that are caused by distracted driving.  He also discussed the issue of texting and driving.  Currently, many states and cities, including New York State, ban texting while driving.  There is, however, no NHTSA guideline in place.  Mr. Strickland indicated that they are working with automakers and cellular phone companies to determine the appropriate standard.

Overall, he expressed a hope that once the distracted driving issues are resolved, these technologies could be used to help reduce the serious personal injury and death caused by motor vehicle accidents.

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