National Initiative to Increase Driver Safety
Driver safety is a huge concern for everyone. But it is often the drivers who pose the biggest threat to themselves. That is why auto safety regulators are trying to use advances in car technology to improve safety on the road. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator David Strickland said that “Ninety percent of all crashes have an element of human errors. We really need to focus on what more we can do to address these risks.” In the past, automakers have typically balked at including safety measures in their vehicles. They resisted safety restraints, air bags and even backup cameras. But they are fully supporting a new safety initiative that will seek to stop drunk driving. Insurance companies also believe this technology would greatly reduce claims and deaths. The NHTSA and seventeen different automakers are engineering a system called the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADDS. It may use current technology like automatic braking and collision warning. It will also integrate a blood alcohol sensor that could lock the transmission if the driver is above the legal limit of .08. There are some people who have an issue with this new development in car safety. The restaurant lobby has called this initiative as an example of the encroaching nanny state of government. Others say that the new equipment required for this new system would add hundreds of dollars to the cost of a new vehicle. There are also concerns that the technology may cause false positives that would frustrate drivers and possibly stop them from purchasing new automobiles. The DADDS program is still being researched at this time. The first prototype is scheduled to be operational in a couple of years. Until the time when blood alcohol levels can be measured unobtrusively this may not be a reality. Drunk driving is still a legitimate threat to the safety of other drivers. If you or your loved ones have been injured by a drunk driver, then you should seek the consul of an experienced personal injury attorney in New Braunfels today.
