Florida drivers who have safety systems installed in their vehicles may be more prone to distraction risks. This was one of the findings of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which did a study in conjunction with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute that examined video of drivers.
Safety technology can take action to correct a driver’s errors. For example, if a driver weaves into another lane, the steering wheel can nudge the driver back into the correct lane. An adaptive cruise control system can control how far a vehicle is from other cars. However, none of these safety systems can make sophisticated assessments in place of a human driver. Despite this, drivers tend to be less alert and may even take their hands off the steering wheel when they have these types of systems.
These drivers are two times more likely to be distracted compared to other drivers. AAA reported that drivers who were not as familiar with the system tended to be less distracted. In general, drivers with safety systems in their cars need to be better educated about how those systems work. A 2017 study by AAA and researchers at the University of Utah found that touchscreen infotainment systems in vehicles also increased the risk of distraction.
Distracted driving can lead to car accidents that cause catastrophic injuries. When this happens, compensation for those accidents can be critical to helping an injured victim pay medical bills. This compensation is usually paid by the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident, but if the driver is uninsured, it might be necessary to file a lawsuit. Legal counsel could help an injured person in filing an insurance claim or lawsuit.