Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
Car accidents in West Palm Beach and elsewhere are more likely with all the new in-car technologies available to drivers, reports The Palm Beach Post. Gloria Bergquist, the vice president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, says that car makers already follow a set of guidelines helping them to determine which devices are useful in a car and which are not. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that these guidelines aren’t good enough and drivers need to have less in-car electronics available to them while they’re operating a motor vehicle.
For this reason, the NHTSA is recommending a new set of guidelines for automakers. These rules would address the dangers associated with electronic tablets, pads, smartphones, navigational systems and much more. AAA says that in-car technologies shouldn’t make driving more convenient, but it should make it safer.
Our West Palm Beach car accident attorneys have talked about the dangers of distracted driving. While new in-car technology is meant to make driving easier and safer, the truth of the matter is that many of the new gadgets are taking driver’s attention off of the road. The NHTSA says it’s time to reexamine the necessities of in-car technologies and narrow it down to only the most beneficial ones, such as the advanced-warning systems. Those who oppose the new regulations say that drivers are going to be making phone calls, sending texts and operating GPS devices behind the wheel no matter what, so it’s best to offer hands-free ways to complete these tasks. That way, attention can stay on the road.
“Available research evidence is extremely limited and highly inconclusive on the real risks that in-car communications technologies pose to drivers, even when systems are limited to voice-activation only,” said AAA CEO and President Robert L. Darbelnet.
The NHTSA isn’t trying to get rid of these devices altogether. They are simply recommending that they be disabled while the car is in drive.
It’s no secret that car makers want to create and sell vehicles that are already equipped with devices that cater to today’s busy consumer, according to NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. He says he just wants automakers to consider roadway safety when creating and enabling these in-car devices.
Bergquist says that’s what automakers are already doing. She says that everything that drivers are doing in the vehicle with these devices is something they’d already be doing without the new technology. The in-car devices just make it safer for drivers to do these things.
Barbara Harsha, with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) says that these new recommendations from the NHTSA are an excellent step in the fight against distracted driving. She says there’s no in-car device that is safer than having both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and mind focused on driving.
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a car accident in West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Hollywood or in any of the surrounding areas, contact Freeman, Mallard, Gonzalez & Sharp to discuss your rights. Call us for a free consultation at 1-800-529-2368.
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Florida Bills Aim to Decrease Risk of Distraction-Related Car Accidents in Lake Worth, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, February 20, 2012