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Home » Consumer Information » Automobile Safety

Automobile Accident Prevention

While fatal highway accidents are plummeting in just about every nation but ours, the US government is developing state-of-the-art devices to help keep drivers out of harm's way. Whether they are sidetracked, overtired, or just overcome by stress, drivers usually have a lot more on their minds than the task of driving alone. Researchers are in the process of examining how technology can be utilized to reduce accidents stemming from tailgating, poor choices at intersections, rollovers, and accidents in which the victim is run clear off the road.

Intersections

According to data gathered in the year 2000, 23 percent of fatal auto accidents and 48 percent of injuries sustained in auto accidents occurred at intersections. To address this problem, the Department of Transportation opened a new facility at the Federal Highway Administration Highway Research Center in McLean, VA where tests could be conducted. A sample intersection built on the facility's grounds is being used to develop and assess in-car and on-road technology that will communicate approaching crash situations to drivers. So far, systems intended to prevent curb tailgating, running off the road, or colliding with another vehicle trying to beat a red light have been advertised at the test site. Trial versions of safety systems for tractor trailers and buses have also been reviewed.

Intelligent signs

One of the innovations undergoing tests is a set of red lights set above the street that flash to indicate someone running a red light. Drivers with the right of way are supposed to stop at the site of the blinking lights to avoid an accident. Sensors built into the surface of the road activate a large flashing "no left turn" sign when cars crossing the intersection are too close or moving at a velocity making it unsafe to complete a left turn. A system onboard the vehicle that syncs with the sensors on the road sets off a high-pitched toot along with a red light on the dashboard to also communicate that the turn is too dangerous to make.

Country roads are surprisingly more treacherous than urban roadways. Actually, two-thirds of all highway deaths take place on rural roads despite the fact that two-thirds of all auto accidents occur in urban areas. Drivers turning onto state highways from farm roads, etc. often are not visible to other highway drivers until it is too late to slow down. The University of California-Berkley and the University of Minnesota are designing signs that would be positioned where these side roads convene with the highways. These signs would blink to alert drivers when high-velocity vehicles are approaching the area too quickly to make a safe entry before they pass. "Smart" intersections have not quite invaded a street corner near you, but expect to see them sprouting up in the next five years.

Onboard alerts

To keep drivers' attention on the road, engineers are toying with rumbling seats, bells, and other audio signals to remind them where their minds should be. However, only expensive luxury carmakers are installing these safety systems in their vehicles. This means it will probably be years before the rest of the industry catches up, and these onboard safety devices become commonplace. For now, smart signs are the most realistic answer to new-age traffic safety because they will benefit everyone, not just the wealthy. To further expand upon the knowledge they've gathered thus far, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is heading up an experiment in which 100 unique drivers will be studied in terms of driving technique and the way in which they respond to traffic signs in-car alert systems. Five cameras will continuously watch the behavior of the vehicle and the actions of the driver. These observations will then be analyzed to determine what needs to be improved.

Driver negligence

Since nine out of ten crashes are related to driver error, VDOT is looking to construct a database of real time driver behavior compiled with the information obtained from each of the 100 vehicles. Since the program began in January, there have been seven minor accidents. Drivers involved in these fender benders were caught eating, talking on the phone, and applying makeup while driving.

Tractor trailers traveling cross country are involved in approximately 4,770 accidents per year, and over 50 percent of those happen in front of the trucks. Freightliner, a subdivision of DaimlerChrysler incorporates a SmartCruise device in its big rigs that identifies vehicles up ahead moving at a slower pace. Once this situation arises, pressure is automatically applied to the brakes until an acceptable following distance is reestablished. The SmartCruise feature also offers a radar-based collision alert mechanism that warns drivers of hazardous roadway conditions (e.g., vehicle stalled in the middle of the street). When danger is perceived, the truck driver receives visual and audible signals.

Rollover cautions

A tractor accident on a busy urban thoroughfare can potentially clog traffic for hours. An innovative anti-rollover apparatus installed in the Freightliner, which works in conjunction with antilock brakes, warns the driver of a probable rollover and slows the truck to lessen the chances of a crash. Some newer model trucks contain GPS devices that will inform the driver as they enter a region notorious for accidents. Trucking companies that ship hazardous materials utilize this same system to report an accidents involving their trucks back to base. This allows management to quickly contact local crews about the type of material that has been spilled and provide cleanup instructions.