Volvo Cars has announced a couple plans to reduce the risk of car crashes with its vehicles. Volvo owners in New York may have already heard that the automaker will set the maximum speed limit on its vehicles to 112 mph starting in 2020. The second plan is to install cameras and sensors in the vehicles that monitor drivers for any signs of intoxication or distraction.
Drunk driving is a widespread trend. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that nearly 30 people die each day in the U.S. in drunk driving crashes. There were 10,874 such deaths in 2017. Volvo’s aim is to avoid crashes altogether rather than to mitigate the severity of unavoidable crashes as other automakers focus on.
The sensors will check for warning signs like constant weaving in and out of lanes, a lack of steering input over an extended period of time and extremely slow reaction times. The cameras will check for signs like closing the eyes for long periods of time.
When the system detects these signs, it will provide a warning signal, and if the driver does not respond to it, the system will cause the vehicle itself to intervene, such as by limiting the speed or slowing down and parking in a safe place. Volvo expects to begin installation in the early 2020s.
Drunk driving and distracted driving are all too common forms of negligence. When car accidents involve negligence, those who are injured through little or no fault of their own may have grounds for a claim. A court will determine each party’s degree of fault; based on this, victims will know if they are eligible for compensation or not. If they are, they may want a lawyer to help them with negotiations.