The NTSB’s 2021-2022 Most Wanted List – Part II

 Posted on June 29, 2021 in Car Accident

 In last week’s blog post, we began discussing the recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in its 2021-2022 Most Wanted List (MWL). The annual list focuses on safety issues and what steps should be taken in all areas of national transportation. Our prior post discussed the agency’s recommendations for drunk and drugged driving crashes and protecting vulnerable road users. In this week’s post, we will continue our discussion with the agency’s recommendations for distracted driving accidents, speed-related accidents, and crash-avoidance technology.

Eliminate Distracted Driving

Each year, there are about 400,000 victims injured in vehicle accidents caused by distracted drivers, and distracted drivers kill more than 3,000 victims. Smartphones and tablets are one of the main causes of distracted driving incidents. It is no wonder these numbers are so high, given that there are almost 300 million smartphone users in the United States.

And while many states have passed hands-free driving laws, multiple studies show that using a device hands-free does not reduce the driver’s distraction. Despite the belief that multitasking is possible, we can only focus our cognitive behavior on one task at a time. This means engaging in any task – like talking on the phone – while we are driving diverts part of our attention away from the road.

The NTSB’s recommendation includes laws in all 50 states that ban the use of any personal electronic device for all drivers and that these laws need to be strictly enforced, including roadside monitoring programs.

The agency also points out that when vehicle manufacturers are designing infotainment systems, they need to consider what level of distractions these systems will have on the driver and implement restricted access to the system when the vehicle is in motion.

Implement a Comprehensive Strategy to Eliminate Speeding-Related Crashes

Speeding crashes take the lives of more than 9,000 Americans every year. Safety advocates believe the number is even higher because of the inconsistency of the reporting of speed-related accidents. These accidents are usually more severe than other types because of the force of impact of a speeding vehicle slamming into the victim’s vehicle. Recommendations in the MWL include states amending current laws to authorize the use of automated speed enforcement. The report also recommends the installation of speed limiters on large trucks, buses, and motorcoaches. It is also recommended more public education is needed to get the message out on how deadly speeding actually is.

Require Collision-Avoidance and Connected-Vehicle Technologies on All Vehicles

The high number of distracted driving accidents and the number of crashes caused by human error signify the need for the requirement of collision-avoidance and connected-vehicle technologies in all vehicles. These technologies include forward collision warning and automatic braking.

According to the report, many consumers are unaware that these technologies are available, and the government needs to do more to ensure that all passenger and commercial vehicles are equipped with these life-saving technologies. Among its many recommendations, the NTSB states that these should not be sold as expensive add-on options in vehicles but should be standard equipment.

Contact a Larimer County Personal Injury Attorney for More Information

In all of the NTSB’s safety recommendations, driver responsibility is cited in each issue. Drivers need to be aware that they share the road with VRUs, not get behind the wheel of a vehicle if they are impaired, not engage in distracted driving behaviors, always obey speed limits, and purchase vehicles with collision-avoidance technology.

Unfortunately, as each Fort Collins car accident attorney at Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. knows only too well, far too many drivers fail to follow these safety rules and the result is injured car accident victims, with some who do not survive their injuries. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a crash, call our office today at 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/default.aspx