The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced that it is aiming to reduce the deaths caused by auto accidents completely within the next thirty years.
The federal agency says that this goal of zero traffic deaths is attainable due to recent innovations that can address and potentially remove the main cause of car accidents.
What is the main cause of car crashes? A recent report by ABC News notes that human error is the leading cause of auto accidents throughout the country. According to the DOT, these mistakes are responsible for an estimated 94 percent of all crashes.
How can human error be addressed? Steps that are geared towards reducing the large rate of human error include:
- Increased seat belt use
- Increased rumble strip use to bring awareness when a vehicle is leaving its lane and entering dangerous territory – either into oncoming traffic or heading off the road
- Increased educational campaigns on distracted and drunken driving
- Increased use of safety features within vehicles
The final step, implementing more safety features within vehicles, points to the recent trend towards autonomous vehicles.
It appears the federal agency is relying on these advances to help curb the risk of human error causing crashes. Although this may be true, the agency does not include any estimation on how many accidents will result from errors made by these safety features.
What about current victims of car accidents? Unfortunately, even with these safety features and current steps taken to reduce the injuries and deaths associated with car accidents, crashes still happen.
Victims or those who lose loved ones due to these tragic accidents have options. A personal injury claim is one option. This claim can lead to monetary compensation to help cover the costs associated with the accident including hospital bills, rehabilitation expenses and lost wages. Contact an experienced attorney to discuss your options.