June 22, 2012 (Press-News.org) In recent months, there has been a veritable plethora of discussion in the media about the dangers of distracted driving. Although distracted driving is a proven danger to motorists, a new study suggests that it may not be as significant of a cause of car accidents as it was once thought. The study found that a technological feature that has been on vehicles almost since their inception -- turn signals -- is to blame for more collisions than being distracted by newfangled technology.
According to research conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers, drivers fail to use their turn signals correctly a significant amount of the time. The study found that drivers either carelessly forget to use their turn signals when changing lanes, or neglect to turn them off, 48% of the time. When making a turn, drivers fail to use their turn signals about 25% of the time.
Overall, the statistics work out to two billion times a day that drivers are failing to use their turn signals properly. Over the course of a year, this works out to 750 billion times.
Whether the reason of turn signal neglect is laziness or poor training is unknown. Whatever the reason, the problem is a major cause of car accidents. The study found that driver inability or unwillingness to correctly use turn signals results in about two million collisions each year, overshadowing the 950,000 collisions per year caused by distracted driving.
New Signaling Technology Can Help
Researchers found that recent technology can help drivers maintain good signaling habits. The technology, called Smart Turn Signal technology, uses computers and sensors to shut off the turn signal when it is no longer needed. In addition, the computer monitors the driver's signal habits and if found lacking, prompts the driver to use the turn signal properly by sounding a series of beeps that are similar to a seatbelt reminder.
As the technology is new, there are no proposed government regulations that would require the technology in new motor vehicles so far. However, if proven effective in reducing accidents, it is likely that it will join other standard safety features such as seatbelts and airbags in the future. In the meantime, if you are injured by a negligent driver, contact an experienced personal injury attorney to protect your rights to compensation for your injuries and losses.
Article provided by The Law Firm of Phillips & Pelly
Visit us at www.sdinjury.com
Failure to Use Turn Signals Cause More Accidents Than Cellphones
Studies show that failure to correctly use automobile turn signals causes more car accidents than distracted driving. Two million crashes occur each year in the U.S. due to incorrect turn signal usage.
2012-06-22
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[Press-News.org] Failure to Use Turn Signals Cause More Accidents Than CellphonesStudies show that failure to correctly use automobile turn signals causes more car accidents than distracted driving. Two million crashes occur each year in the U.S. due to incorrect turn signal usage.