Headlines across the country have been discussing what many believe is the first fatal car accident involving an autonomous vehicle. The crash involved an Uber self-driving vehicle, and the company immediately pulled their self-driving vehicles off of the road so they could investigate the circumstances of the crash. The police are looking into the wreck as well.
Will fatal self-driving accident have repercussions?
Has road safety plummeted in the last two years?
Fatal car accident statistics used to portray our highways as a dangerous and treacherous battle ground. In the 1960s and 1970s, fatal car accidents were occurring at a rate of 40,000 to 50,000 every single year. It wasn't until the 1990s that fatal accident statistics dropped into the low 40,000s every year, and by 2008 it dropped below 40,000. And the rates remained consistently below that threshold--until the last several years, that is.
Are drivers more likely to text when cruise control is on?
Distracted driving can cause serious injuries and deaths out on New Jersey's roads. One common source of distraction for drivers in today's world is the smartphone. So, how likely motorists are to use their phone for texting or similar activities while driving is a significant safety issue. A recent study indicates that drivers may be more likely to engage in this type of distracted driving when they are using cruise control.
