November 15, 2012 (Press-News.org) Every motor vehicle accident occurs due to a unique series of circumstances and causes, from defective vehicles and parts to dangerous roadway designs that increase peril for drivers and passengers. Among every potential cause of car and truck accidents, driver error is the most likely factor, and thousands of Californians are needlessly injured or killed every year due to another person's mistakes or negligence.
For that reason alone, news that California is taking the lead along with several other states in allowing companies to test driverless cars on its streets and highways has been met with enthusiasm. The promise of autonomous vehicles also has implications for other transportation issues, including reduced road congestion and mobility for disabled and elderly people.
Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 1298 in late September, approving a measure that allows certified autonomous vehicles to operate on public roads for testing purposes. The bill requires that all such vehicles be operated with a person seated in the driver's seat to monitor the vehicle's safe operation and assume control in the event of a technology failure or other emergency.
In passing SB 1298, California lawmakers have recognized that new technology using computers, sensors and integrated systems to automate car and truck operation offers significant potential benefits for highway safety and personal mobility, as well as major commercial benefits for individuals and businesses. By creating appropriate rules for allowing self-driving cars to operate in California, the state has encouraged future development within its borders of a technological breakthrough that is largely the brainchild of one of its best known companies, Google, Inc.
Autonomous vehicles are intended ultimately to operate without active physical control or oversight by human drivers. That means a foreseeable future when there would be no need for intoxicated drivers to get behind the wheel, a development that would have a positive impact on vehicle-related injury and fatality rates.
The rapid integration of GPS, radar and video technologies into safety-minded improvements has already led to collision avoidance systems such as electronic blind spot assistance, emergency braking systems, parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings and other systems that translate data about vehicle position and nearby hazards to warn drivers.
A future where driver error is much less likely to cause car accidents is a clear benefit of the safety technology that SB 1298 promotes. While a host of other causes guarantee that car and truck accidents will never be completely eliminated, the rights of injury victims to pursue damages for technology errors, recklessness and other unexpected events ensures that they will not be left without legal remedies.
Article provided by Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook
Visit us at www.cmslaw.com
California Approves Autonomous Vehicle Testing on Public Roads
In passing SB 1298, California lawmakers have recognized that new technology using computers, sensors and integrated systems to automate car and truck operation offers significant potential benefits for highway safety and personal mobility.
2012-11-15
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study: Bedsores Linked to Longer Hospitalization, Patient Deaths
2012-11-15
A recent study by the UCLA School of Nursing has found a correlation between bedsores--also called pressure ulcers--and patient deaths and increases in the length of hospitalization.
For the study, researchers tracked about 51,000 randomly selected Medicare beneficiaries who were hospitalized nationwide. The study found that about 4.5 percent of the patients developed a bedsore while they were in the hospital. They study also found that even though 3,000 patients entered the hospital already having a bedsore, 16.7 percent of these patients developed a new bedsore in ...
Wisconsin University Launches Campaign Against On-Campus Sexual Assaults
2012-11-15
The American Association of University Women has some shocking statistics about on-campus sex crimes: one out of every four college-age women reports being involved in an unwanted sexual encounter, and one in 12 college-age men admit to actions with sexual partners that meet the legal definition of rape. The numbers don't lie, and there is no doubt that sex crimes are among the most prevalent on college and university campuses across the country.
That is why the University of Wisconsin-Madison has implemented a new sexual assault education campaign on all its campuses ...
New Notice Requirements for Virginia Divorces
2012-11-15
The decision to separate from a spouse is never easy, but once the decision has been made what comes next? In the summer of 2012, the divorce procedure in Virginia changed. The new notice requirements make the process easier in some cases.A general requirement before commencing a Virginia divorce is that one spouse has to have been a resident of Virginia for at least six months before filing. Separation of a certain amount of time is also required, based on whether there are children or a written property settlement, for no-fault divorces. An experienced northern Virginia ...
Global Protection of Your Trademark
2012-11-15
Does your business have a specific trademark? If so, you should know that it may be vulnerable overseas. While your business may have established protections within the United States, someone in another country could potentially use your trademark if you are not careful.
A trademark can be a symbol, phrase, word or design. If your company's brand can be extended to other countries, you may want to consider filing a trademark outside of the U.S. to protect your rights to the particular brand.
With the growth of online trade and social media, businesses have become ...
Parents Not Good Role Models When It Comes to Texting While Driving
2012-11-15
Many people may believe that texting while driving is harmless, but Chicago-area parents should be aware of the fact that they are most likely passing on this bad habit to their children. Even long before children are old enough to get behind the wheel, they are watching their parents' driving habits -- and will most likely emulate the behaviors, good or bad.
According to a survey conducted by Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions, 59 percent of teenagers report that they have seen their parents text while driving. In addition, the teens reported ...
Atlanta Boy Killed When Truck Transmission Crashed Through Windshield
2012-11-15
Though heavy trucks are a vital part of the Georgia economy, their presence does pose a significant risk to others on the road. A lot of the danger arises from the simple fact that these trucks are so large -- a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, while the average passenger vehicle weighs just 4,000 pounds. This great disparity in size means that even a low-speed collision between a car and a semi-truck can have disastrous consequences.
Georgia trucking companies and truck drivers have a duty to prioritize safety and minimize the risk of accident. ...
Fatal Denver Hit-and-Run Highlights Accident Victims' Rights
2012-11-15
There are few things worse than losing a loved one to a fatal car accident. However, when the at-fault driver refuses to take responsibility for his or her actions, the pain of the loss is often accompanied by an unshakable sense of injustice.
Thankfully, Colorado police take fatal hit-and-run car accidents seriously. They will investigate the crash and work to identify and apprehend the responsible driver. If found, the driver will face serious criminal penalties.
Take, for example, the case of a recent fatal hit-and-run accident on South Broadway in Denver. A 32-year-old ...
The Problem of Retained Surgical Objects
2012-11-15
Undergoing surgery can be a stressful -- both physically and mentally. After going through a medical procedure, the last thing that patients should have to worry about is having a surgical instrument left behind inside of their body.
But studies show that every year at least 4,000 patients around the country who have surgical procedures need to worry about just that -- and after going through the stress of the initial surgery, these patients have to deal with the fact that some kind of medical instrument was left inside their body. The objects left inside patients can ...
Can Workers' Compensation Cover Repetitive Strain Issues?
2012-11-15
Repetitive strain injuries can be debilitating for employees, causing them to miss work and perhaps change their fundamental job duties. Fortunately, it is possible for workers to claim Pennsylvania workers' compensation benefits for repetitive strain injuries directly linked to work duties.
What Is a Repetitive Strain Injury?
A repetitive strain injury, also known as a repetitive stress injury or RSI, is an injury that causes pain in the muscles, tendons or nerves of a joint or other area of the body. RSIs are usually attributed to the performance of repetitive tasks.
Repetitive ...
Virginia Court Further Defines Characteristics of Legal Checkpoints
2012-11-15
The commonwealth of Virginia vigorously fights drunk driving by using sobriety checkpoints as part of the annual Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign -- a 10-year-old law-enforcement program in conjunction with surrounding states to fight drinking and driving. While the program is multifaceted, it focuses largely on the use of checkpoints to prevent drunk driving and uncover other traffic offenses.
2012 Checkpoint Strikeforce
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling officially kicked off the 2012 campaign in September at a NASCAR event, confirming that Virginia is committed to ending drunk ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
New register opens to crown Champion Trees across the U.S.
A unified approach to health data exchange
New superconductor with hallmark of unconventional superconductivity discovered
Global HIV study finds that cardiovascular risk models underestimate for key populations
New study offers insights into how populations conform or go against the crowd
Development of a high-performance AI device utilizing ion-controlled spin wave interference in magnetic materials
WashU researchers map individual brain dynamics
Technology for oxidizing atmospheric methane won’t help the climate
US Department of Energy announces Early Career Research Program for FY 2025
PECASE winners: 3 UVA engineering professors receive presidential early career awards
‘Turn on the lights’: DAVD display helps navy divers navigate undersea conditions
MSU researcher’s breakthrough model sheds light on solar storms and space weather
Nebraska psychology professor recognized with Presidential Early Career Award
New data shows how ‘rage giving’ boosted immigrant-serving nonprofits during the first Trump Administration
Unique characteristics of a rare liver cancer identified as clinical trial of new treatment begins
From lab to field: CABBI pipeline delivers oil-rich sorghum
Stem cell therapy jumpstarts brain recovery after stroke
Polymer editing can upcycle waste into higher-performance plastics
Research on past hurricanes aims to reduce future risk
UT Health San Antonio, UTSA researchers receive prestigious 2025 Hill Prizes for medicine and technology
Panorama of our nearest galactic neighbor unveils hundreds of millions of stars
A chain reaction: HIV vaccines can lead to antibodies against antibodies
Bacteria in polymers form cables that grow into living gels
Rotavirus protein NSP4 manipulates gastrointestinal disease severity
‘Ding-dong:’ A study finds specific neurons with an immune doorbell
A major advance in biology combines DNA and RNA and could revolutionize cancer treatments
Neutrophil elastase as a predictor of delivery in pregnant women with preterm labor
NIH to lead implementation of National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act
Growth of private equity and hospital consolidation in primary care and price implications
Online advertising of compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists
[Press-News.org] California Approves Autonomous Vehicle Testing on Public RoadsIn passing SB 1298, California lawmakers have recognized that new technology using computers, sensors and integrated systems to automate car and truck operation offers significant potential benefits for highway safety and personal mobility.