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Automation could reduce driver focus, sparking auto accidents

On Behalf of | Nov 25, 2020 | car accidents | 0 comments

The roads in Tennessee and across the nation can be dangerous for many reasons with auto accidents occurring without warning. In recent years, one of the most common catalysts for a crash is a distracted driver. Often, this is automatically perceived as being due to a driver using a cellphone behind the wheel. However, a recent study indicates that automated driving – designed to improve safety – may reduce drivers’ focus on the road and add to the risk to themselves and others. This should be considered when there is a collision and people are injured or lose their lives as it may be important when pursuing a legal claim.

Drivers may rely too much on automation for safety

According to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), drivers who are too trusting of an automobile’s advanced technology may lose focus. Researchers found that as drivers’ trust in the technology grew, they lost focus and took their hands from the wheel with greater regularity.

It is not an instantaneous behavior. It takes time for drivers to decrease the amount of attention they pay to the road. Whether the driver was using manual control or had the technology activated was irrelevant. After about a month, their attention began to wane. If drivers had more technology including pilot assist along with adaptive cruise control, they became less focused than they did when there was only adaptive cruise control. If the vehicle had adaptive cruise control and no other advancements, drivers maintained their attention to the road. Pilot assist is perceived as the greater cause of driver disengagement.

The cause of an auto accident can be a critical factor in a legal filing

Driver assist is not an overtly distracting addition to a vehicle, but research indicates that it is having an impact on drivers comparable to handheld devices as they are not paying as strict attention to the road as they should. When there is an accident, it can lead to massive medical expenses and long-term challenges in all aspects of life for the injured person and his or her family. A legal filing can be helpful in recovering compensation for what was lost. A firm with experience in investigating motor vehicle accidents and moving forward with a claim might be able to help.