Many drivers in New Jersey are ambivalent about the benefits of new car safety tech like blind spot alert, automatic emergency braking and lane centering devices. While there is the danger that such tech will make drivers complacent, it appears that the benefits are real and substantial. A 2018 study from J.D. Power illustrates this.
Of all the new car owners who participated in the study, more than half said that the new tech, collectively known as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, helped them avoid an auto wreck within the first 90 days of owning the car. Nearly half said it was the blind spot alert that did it for them while 42% credited the backup cameras and parking sensors with preventing the crash. Lastly, 35% credited the forward collision alert or the AEB with helping them avoid a collision.
ADAS are available for vehicles of all price ranges. Some devices, like backup cameras, are actually required by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration on all new vehicles. NHTSA supports the use of ADAS, saying they can save the lives of drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. Forward collision warning, for example, alerts drivers when speeding up to a vehicle. Lane departure warning keeps drivers from making unsignaled turns. AEB brakes help drivers who react too slowly in the face of a collision.
With or without ADAS, drivers have the same responsibility to keep their car under control at all times. When they fail to do this through distraction, fatigue or alcohol impairment, then they are more likely to cause a motor vehicle crash. Moreover, they could be to blame for any injuries that arise in the crash. For their part, victims may want a lawyer with them before filing a claim. That way, negotiations may go more smoothly.