Driver-assist technology provides Level Two automation, which means that it can take over certain functions like accelerating or keeping a car in its lane without completely replacing the driver. Unfortunately, this is not getting across to many drivers in Illinois and across the U.S., the result being that they let themselves be distracted behind the wheel.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has come out with a report arguing that driver-assist systems must do more to engage the driver both physically and mentally. Most current systems only require the driver to hold the steering wheel in order to continue operating, which is not enough to prevent inattention.
The safety non-profit gave three recommendations that could help improve the tech and, with it, driver performance. First, the tech should come with more ways to check for distraction, such as cameras that record driver behavior. Second, it should have sensors in the steering wheel to measure drivers’ reaction times. Third, it should come with alarms that go off when the system does detect that the driver is inattentive.
These systems continue to receive scrutiny as many crashes have arisen in connection with them. For instance, the driver of a Tesla Model X that was on Autopilot crashed and died in 2018; he was found to have been playing a mobile game.
Those who are harmed in a car accident and who are deemed 50% or less at fault may file a personal injury claim in this state. Distracted driving is a form of negligence, but in some cases, it can be hard to prove. This is where legal assistance may be of benefit. Victims may leave it to their lawyer and his or her team of investigators to build up the case. The lawyer may then strive for a fair settlement.
