The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that in 2017, 10,874 people died in the U.S. due to drunk driving crashes. Every day, about 30 people in the U.S. are dying in such crashes. Ohio residents who own a Volvo car should know that the automaker has announced plans to update its vehicle safety tech to address the deadly trend of drunk driving.
Specifically, Volvo will be installing in-car cameras and sensors to monitor drivers and provide warning signals if it detects any signs of intoxication or distraction. If drivers do not respond to these signals, the vehicle may intervene by limiting its speed or by slowing itself down and parking in a safe place.
Volvo states that its aim is to prevent crashes altogether with this technology rather than to mitigate the severity of any crashes that do occur. The system will look for any behavior that may lead to serious injury or death, such as a lack of steering input over a long period of time, weaving in and out of lanes and extremely slow reaction times. Volvo plans to start installing the technology in the early 2020s. Earlier, in March 2019, the automaker had announced another plan in the effort to boost vehicle safety: it would put a 180 km/h speed limit on all its vehicles beginning in 2020.
When drunk drivers cause car accidents, they will be to blame. Victims, even those who are partially to blame for the crash, may be able to file a personal injury claim against the drunk driver’s auto insurance company. If they are successful, they could be reimbursed for economic and non-economic damages like medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. It may be wise to hire a lawyer, though, especially for settlement negotiations. The lawyer might litigate as a last resort.
