Springfield Virginia Motor Vehicle Accidents Blog

Virginia motorists are probably aware of the various safety features that protect front-seat car occupants in the event of a crash. One has not only airbags but also crash tensioners, which tighten seat belts upon impact, and force limiters, which can reduce force and prevent chest injuries by unspooling some of the seat belt's webbing. In some newer vehicles, front seat belts even work in coordination with the airbags.

Unfortunately, these advances in front-seat safety technology have left rear-seat safety in the dust. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has developed a series of crash tests to show just how this neglect is affecting rear-seat passengers. In a study of 117 crashes where rear-seat passengers were injured or killed, the IIHS found that one-third suffered chest injuries. Nine of the injured passengers and 18 of those fatally injured incurred heat injuries.

Virginia motorists who are convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol must have ignition interlock devices fitted in their vehicles. An IID prevents the vehicle it is fitted to from starting when alcohol is detected in a breath sample provided by the driver, and subsequent samples are required to keep the car running during what are known as rolling tests. In Virginia, the first rolling test takes place after just five minutes. IIDs are now mandatory for DUI offenders in most states because research shows that they deter drunk driving and prevent accidents, but a New York Times investigation reveals that they could also be causing crashes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that IIDs reduce repeat DUI offenses by as much as 70%, and the results of a study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania suggest that the devices can lower drunk driving deaths by up to 15%. However, performing rolling tests can be risky if drivers do not pull over first.

Advanced safety technologies are supposed to make cars safer in Virginia and across the U.S. However, according to a new study, these systems are placing some drivers at additional risk.

The study, which was conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, found that advanced safety technologies can reduce accidents and injuries when they are used correctly, but many drivers trust these systems too much, increasing their risk of getting into an accident. For example, lane departure systems use cameras and sensors to determine if a driver is staying in his or her lane. If the vehicle starts to drift from the lane, the system gently steers it back to safety. Meanwhile, adaptive cruise control systems monitor the distance between a driver's vehicle and the one ahead of it. If the vehicle gets too close to the other one, the system applies the brakes to prevent a collision. However, some drivers are failing to remain alert once these systems are activated and are depending on the technology to keep them safe. As a result, the study found that drivers who use the systems are almost twice as likely to engage in distracted driving behaviors than those who don't use them.

If passed, the Reduce Impaired Driving for Everyone Act of 2019 would require all vehicles to have alcohol detection equipment installed in all new cars by 2024. According to its sponsors, the legislation could result in 7,000 fewer deaths on Virginia roads and others nationwide per year. The RIDE Act would first require that alcohol detection software be installed on a fleet of vehicles to determine how such a system would work.

Vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders to develop technology that could minimize or eliminate drunk driving. There is a body of evidence to suggest that using ignition interlock devices (IIDs) on all vehicles could reduce instances of drunk driving. Data produced by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) showed that they prevented drunk drivers from starting their vehicles on three million different occasions since 2006.