Do Crash Avoidance Technologies Improve Teenage Driver Safety?
Nov 4, 2021
The fact that teenage drivers are more prone to accidents than the rest of the population is probably not breaking news. However, the actual extent to which teenage and young drivers cause car accidents might not be as well known.
The AAA Foundation estimates that drivers ages 16-17 continue to have the highest rates of:
- Motor vehicle crash involvement
- Injuries to themselves and others
- Deaths of others in crashes in which they are involved
Given the dangers posed to the general population by teenage and young drivers, many companies are developing technologies in an effort to reduce crashes, increase safety, and ensure we all share the roads conscientiously.
Below we will look at some of the new technologies and review how they’re helping to improve teenage driver safety. Additionally, we’ll provide information on how to file a personal injury claim seeking to recover financial compensation in the event of an unfortunate and untimely car accident.
What is Crash Avoidance Technology?
Crash or collision avoidance systems are technologies designed to assist drivers with either preventing a car accident or decreasing the severity of a crash before it occurs. Crash avoidance technologies are often found in mobile apps and various types of artificial intelligence within vehicles. Artificial intelligence machine vision technology, dash cams, GPS navigation systems, lidar sensors (light detection and ranging), blind spot monitoring, active braking, and pedestrian detection are a few examples of such technology.
When a potential collision is detected with these advanced technologies, the systems may alert a driver – whether through sound or light – and help potentially prevent a motor vehicle crash from occurring.
What Crash Avoidance Apps/Technologies are Helping Teens Drive Safer?
Car manufacturers, telecommunication companies, and car insurance providers are just a few examples of the various companies working to develop crash avoidance technologies specifically aimed at curbing teenage driver car accidents.
Some of the more noteworthy examples of crash avoidance technology created to improve teenage driver safety include:
- The Life360 app: This technology is designed to help families with teenage and young drivers communicate and connect. The app includes a driver safety mode that can track a teen driver’s locations, monitor speed, and send text message alerts when hard braking, speeding/rapid acceleration, and even crashes occur. Additionally, the app includes 24/7 driver care support.
- Ford’s MyKey system: With Ford’s new MyKey technology, parents can enforce custom settings on vehicles driven by teenagers and young drivers. Such settings may include:
- Volume limits on the radio/stereo
- A “Belt-Minder” that chimes as well as mutes the vehicle speakers until the driver is buckled up
- Top speed cutoffs to prevent teens going over certain limits
- AAA’s Keys2Drive: AAA offers this new online teen driving resource for parents. The technology is tailored for each state’s laws as well as for each phase of the new driver experience. AAA’s Keys2Drive website helps parents determine the best way to discuss potential driving risks during the “get ready” phase. It also provides teaching methods for the “practice” phase, and offers state laws and other important info for teens who are starting to drive or expecting to receive their licenses. Additionally, there’s a Parent-Teen Driver Agreement available so parents can establish rules and guidelines for new drivers within their household.
- FamilyTime: This app provides “over-speeding” alerts to ensure parents are aware of when their children are driving dangerously or over-speed. When a parent logs in to the FamilyTime app dashboard, they can set speed limits and sign up for instant push notifications that monitor a young driver’s road habits. According to the FamilyTime website, over-speed alerts can help ensure safe driving, avert car accidents, and help parents worry less about the teenage driver(s) in their household.
- Hum: With the Hum driving technology, concerned parents can view their teenager’s driving history, get information on trip destinations, view travel time and distance, idle time, fuel used, MPG, average speed and max speed, etc. Driving History can be emailed via the Hum app as a downloadable CSV file. Additional parent-friendly features offered by Hum include vehicle location monitoring, boundary alerts, and speed alerts. Parents can also invite teen drivers to share a “safety score” via the app.
- LifeSaver: This technology includes a Driver Portal for parents as well as a LifeSaver app for drivers. Parents can monitor whether or not a teen is driving and also confirm when they arrive at their destination safely. In the LifeSaver app, driving is auto-detected and cell phone use is automatically blocked while on the road. There’s also a portal for drivers to invite others to take steps to improve road safety.
- Drive Safe.ly: Hailed on its website as the “app to stop distracted driving,” Drive Safe.ly is a hands-free option for reading texts and emails aloud so drivers aren’t likely to check their cell phones while on the roads. The app claims to help eliminate both texting and reading emails while driving, particularly among teenage and young drivers.
- Toyota Oculus Rift: Although the technology is a few years old now, Toyota’s Oculus Rift virtuality reality system operates through the TeenDrive365 distracted driving simulator. TeenDrive365 uses an actual car in an effort to help encourage teens to get behind the wheel of a stationary Toyota while wearing the Oculus Rift headset. When operating the Oculus Rift system, Toyota claims drivers are “fully immersed in a virtual reality driving experience, complete with the three-dimensional sights and sounds of a busy city street.” Oculus Rift utilizes the cars’ steering wheel and pedals, and teen drivers actually encounter real-world distractions such as traffic noise, a blaring radio, text messages, etc.
How Effective is Crash Avoidance Technology for Teenage Drivers?
A recent article in Forbes confirmed some promising data regarding the effectiveness of crash avoidance technologies in terms of improving teenage driver safety and reducing car accidents. According to the Forbes column:
If you believe you have a personal injury case and wish to pursue a claim, don’t hesitate to contact our award-winning expert attorneys online or by phone today.
Additionally, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that crash avoidance technologies like front crash prevention and lane departure prevention can actually help to specifically improve teenage driver safety.
Can I File a Lawsuit if I’m Injured in a Teenage Driver Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident of any kind within the past two years, you may be eligible to recover substantial financial compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. California adheres to pure comparative fault law, which means that a portion of liability is assigned to all involved parties when a car accident occurs.
Even if you were partially responsible for your car accident injury, we may be able to help you recover a damages award. A personal injury lawsuit can be an excellent means of securing financial compensation for various losses such as:
- Hospital and medical bills
- Physical therapy expenses
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Emotional trauma
- Reduced quality of life
To arrange for a free, confidential, and no obligation with a Dordulian Law Group car accident lawyer, contact us online or by phone at 866-GO-SEE-SAM.
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