Texas drivers sharing the road with impaired or distracted drivers could soon be safer thanks to new technology being implemented by a Swedish car manufacturer. The company announced plans to tackle drunk driving by installing a camera and sensor system in its vehicles sometime in the early 2020s. It’s a move being made by the same company that already plans to restrict speed limits in its vehicles for the 2020 model year to around 112 miles per hour.
The company said its in-car cameras and sensors will monitor drivers for signs of drunk driving or distraction. The system will also intervene when necessary. Actions taken if an impaired or distracted driver fails to pay attention to warning signals could include limiting the vehicle’s speed limit or parking it in a safe location.
The car manufacturer’s system will identify potentially dangerous driver actions based on factors such as a lack of steering input on the part of the driver for extended periods of time, whether a driver’s eyes are closed or off the road for long periods, and slow reaction times. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 10,000 deaths in the United States were attributed to drunk driving crashes in 2017. NHTSA also reports that approximately 30 people die in crashes involving intoxicated drivers each day in the U.S.
For times when there is some doubt about fault or other accident-related circumstances, a motor vehicle accident attorney might prove to be a much-appreciated asset for affected victims. If there is no immediate evidence of fault, a lawyer may gather important details from accident reports or recreations. If a driver was in a vehicle with technology that records driver actions, this data may be reviewed as well. Phone data is sometimes just as useful, especially when distracted driving may have caused the crash.