Car Accidents And Adaptive Cruise Control
ACC (adaptive cruise control) is a very useful advanced safety system present in most new vehicles on the market. It is practically an upgrade of the regular cruise control system, which was created to allow drivers to keep the vehicle at a constant speed without having to press the accelerator pedal.
Adaptive cruise control is definitely convenient and is generally safe. However, according to experienced semi truck accident lawyers, there are some safety risks that should be mentioned. In fact, the IIHS does claim the use of ACC increases car accident risks.
ACC lets you set a following distance and the speed of the vehicle. When the car that is in front is slowing down, adaptive cruise control slows down or brakes. There are some advanced systems that include cameras and that can slow down cars when limit changes or even tighter curves are noticed.
The big problem, based on investigations by the IIHS, is that drivers often end up misusing adaptive cruise control. This is possible in different ways but usually, the target speed set is higher than driving limits. In so many cases this is done because the driver thinks the ACC system will protect them from car crashes. As a result, ACC will sometimes cause speeding. Statistics show us that drivers who use adaptive cruise control are 10% more likely to end up in a fatal car accident than drivers who do not use ACC.
Is Advanced Cruise Control Safe?
The answer to this question depends on what type of ACC is installed on the vehicle and how it is used. When looked at the theory, adaptive cruise control tries to make driving safer and when used right, this is exactly what happens.
Several adaptive cruise control setups include advanced functions, like stop-and-go. We even have ADAS (Advanced driver-assistance systems) that have features like tire pressure indicators, blind spot detection, rear-forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. All of these can help to reduce car accidents. For instance, blind-spot monitoring leads to 14% fewer accidents.
The big problem with advanced safety features like ACC is driver error. Adaptive cruise control can make the driver overconfident. He can drive way too fast or be way too close to motorists. There are even some drivers that will turn off some safety features as they think they are not needed.
When Accidents Happen
Whenever accidents happen and someone is injured, the injured party is entitled to financial compensation. Determining fault can include analyzing the ACC records. For instance, if the driver turned off ACC and rear-ended the car in front while driving, it is obvious who is at fault.
What is very important is to understand that car accidents that lead to injuries should only be investigated with the help of an experienced car accident attorney by your side. The specialist understands very complex things, like how adaptive cruise control influenced the crash.
Car crash investigations are always complex. At the same time, if you are injured, you have to take care of your health. The personal injury attorney will help you to do just that while getting the right financial compensation.
