Bank of America Merrill Lynch claims that technology used in automobiles will help to reduce the number of accidents that occur. Since 2011, there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of accidents on Virginia roads and those in other states. The increase is partially the result of higher employment, which has led to more miles being driven. Smartphone use as well as the legalization of marijuana are also cited as factors for the increase. According to data from the IIHS, states that had legalized marijuana had more crashes reported by police than bordering states that had not legalized it.
In 2016, 91 percent of drivers owned a smartphone compared to 52 percent of drivers in 2011 according to research conducted by State Farm. However, the use of collision avoidance features could reduce accidents by up to 30 percent by the 2030s. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety claims that advanced safety features can reduce crashes by up to 40 percent. By 2022, it is believed that 99 percent of new vehicles in the United States will come with front crash prevention systems.
Other advanced features include blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning systems and emergency braking. Prior to 2011, the accident rate had been falling by about 1 percent per year.
Individuals who are involved in motor vehicle accidents could experience catastrophic injuries from which they may not fully recover from. This may result in missing work or otherwise living a reduced quality of life. Injured victims may be entitled to compensation if they were hurt by another person’s negligence. Negligence may include failure to stop at a red light or driving too fast for road conditions. An attorney may review an accident case and help an injured victim obtain a favorable outcome.