New Technologies Aim to Prevent Distracted Driving

Distracted driving remains a major cause of car accidents, and laws can only do so much to prevent it. Louisiana law prohibits the use of cell phones while the car’s engine is on and the car is in any gear other than park, unless you are using the phone to call for help in an emergency or to report a crime. These distracted driving laws have greatly reduced cell phone use by drivers, but cell phones are only one of many causes of distracted driving in Louisiana. Meanwhile, car technology is always evolving to make driving safer. By now, you probably know about the Lidar sensors for driver-assist technology, and you might have even heard about the built-in breathalyzers that test the ambient air around the driver’s seat to determine whether your blood alcohol content is too high for you to drive safely. Do you know about the anti-distraction technologies that have started to appear in newer cars, though? It remains to be seen how effective these new technologies are at preventing accidents and when, if ever, they will become standard in all vehicles. In the meantime, you need a Louisiana car accident lawyer if you have been injured in a distracted driving accident.

Can These Features Distraction-Proof Your Car?

According to Analytics Insight, these are the features that are the most effective at preventing distracted driving. As of 2021, some of these features are so widespread that your car and the cars of most people you know already have them, while others are almost exclusively found in autonomous vehicles, or else as luxury upgrades that you can have added on by the manufacturer:

• Bluetooth-enabled car audio systems – More people are making phone calls while driving now than ever before, but an increasing number of them are doing so hands-free. A growing number of car models offer a feature that enables you to connect your phone to your car’s audio system, so you can participate in phone conversations and give voice commands to your navigation app without taking your eyes off the road.
• Cell phone blocking – Your car and your phone interact with each other, so that the phone automatically goes into “do not disturb” mode while you are in the car. Once you park at your destination, you can see all the missed calls and text messages that arrived during your trip.
• Lane departure warnings and forward collision warnings – The simpler versions of these simply alert you when you are too close to the car in front of you or to the lane marker. The autonomous vehicle versions also automatically move you to a safe distance from the obstacles.
• Drowsy driver alerts – This technology senses your movements or lack thereof. With alarms and coffee mug icons on the dashboard, it attempts to increase your alertness until you can get to a safe place to rest.

Contact Patrick Yancey About Distracted Driving Accidents

If you have suffered serious injuries because the driver who caused your accident was preoccupied with a cell phone or other distraction, you might be able to recover compensation.  Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey in Houma, Louisiana to see if you have grounds for a lawsuit.