These days, many of our readers have probably noticed that the debate about distracted driving and what to do about it is becoming unavoidable, which is a good thing. Each year thousands of Americans are injured or die in car accidents that were caused by distracted drivers and, as a result, legislators and politicians are doing their best to enact laws and policies that will help bring down the number of these accidents that occur. But, what about the car companies? Are their efforts to make cars safer actually making distracted driving worse?
Well, as a recent article noted, that may be the trend. While new cars have many new safety features like blind-spot indicators, automatic braking and cameras and warning indicators that help when the car is in reverse, all of these safety features may actually cause a distraction for drivers when they are supposed to be helping.
The recent article noted a survey in which 10 percent of respondents indicated that they believed that some of the advanced technology that is being included in cars today – sometimes referred to as “semi-autonomous” technology — is actually making it harder for drivers to safely operate their vehicles. Furthermore, at recent car show that drew national news coverage, one analyst said that drivers can become “overly reliant” on some of these safety features.
While we all appreciate efforts to make vehicles safer, it should not come at the expense of a driver’s attention to the primary task of operating the vehicle. When distracted drivers are behind the wheel of vehicles in Louisiana, serious car accidents are an unfortunate possibility.
