Safety Priorities Auto Regulators Need to Address

Over the past two years, 7.5 million Americans were harmed and an additional 90,000 were fatally injured in traffic accidents. The U.S. Department of Transportation has yet to propose safety vehicle standards that could decrease injuries and fatalities. There are several factors that contribute to a car accident. Safety advocates believe that if there were stronger mandates and laws, it would prevent accidents and save lives. The following are safety priorities that auto regulators need to address to help make driving safer for everyone.

Child Safety Mandates

Children are unable to drive; however, thousands of children experience injuries or fatalities from car accidents and being left in hot vehicles every year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a responsibility to mandate rules that would aid in child safety. The NHTSA is currently behind rules that would improve child restraint performance in frontal and side-impact crashes. Mandating these rules would lead to fewer injuries and deaths per year.

An important regulation that the NHTSA must confront is children dying in hot vehicles. One way to tackle this issue is to establish technology that would prevent this tragedy from occurring. This technology is already amid development by vehicle manufacturers such as Hyundai, Kia, and Nissan. Some developing technologies include rear-seat systems that remind parents to check the backseat before leaving their vehicle. Children are still dying from heatstroke, making this rule an important one to address.

Autonomous Vehicle Standards

Technology is rapidly developing, and it is becoming more relevant to vehicle manufacturers. As technology becomes more involved, the market is moving closer toward self-driving vehicles. If autonomous vehicles begin to make a debut in the automotive market, it is important that regulations are set. Autonomous vehicles have prompted concerns, including hackers and underdeveloped vehicles that might lead to accidents. Many hope that auto regulators set strict standards for self-driving cars before they hit the market. If rules are established that set boundaries on autonomous vehicle usage in public areas, it could save lives.

Standardize Safety Features

Technology has led to many safety advancements, including blind spot detection, pedestrian detection, and automatic braking. These features prevented many accidents from occurring, leading to fewer injuries and fatalities. However, many individuals are hoping that auto regulators will standardize these safety features. In 2016, the NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety came to an agreement with 20 auto manufacturers to standardize automatic emergency braking by 2022. However, critics hope that the NHTSA does this with all safety features.

Connected Vehicles

Technology that allows a vehicle to relay information to surrounding vehicles sounds like magic. However, this is not as impossible as most would think. The technology, referred to as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, allows a vehicle to make decisions based on incoming data. If most vehicles in the U.S. had this technology, it could lead to fewer injuries and deaths.

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Car Accident Victims

If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, please consider contacting a Baltimore car accident lawyer at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. Our lawyers work closely with clients to obtain the maximum compensation they deserve for their injuries. Contact us online or call us at 800-547-4LAW (4529) for a free consultation.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent car accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.