Eddie Farah Looks at a Study that May ‘Signal’ Changes Ahead
Distracted driving is a problem that may cause nearly 950,000 accidents a year, but according to a recently released Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) study, accidents caused by distracted driving may be dwarfed in comparison by another problem that leads to as many as 2 million accidents a year.
The culprit?
Not using turn signals.
According to SAE researchers, drivers fail to use their signals when changing lanes 48% of the time. Compound that with the study’s findings that 25% of drivers don’t use their signals when turning, and you have a signaling fail-rate for all drivers that adds up to 2 billion times a day — that’s 750 billion times a year.
One author of the study, Richard Ponziani, stated in a press release, “The turn signal is one of the very original automotive crash prevention devices and this simple driver-to-driver communication device remains extremely effective, but only when it is accurately displayed as required by law.”
He went on to say, “Drivers have an ongoing duty to use [turn signals], just as they have a duty to stop at a stop sign or at a red light.”
The study suggests that a simple and inexpensive solution to the problem might be the implementation of “Smart Turn Signal” technology. Such a system would detect when a driver routinely ignores using turn signals and would then flash a “friendly reminder” for them to begin doing so.
According to Ponziani, Smart Turn Signal technology presents the perfect chance to “reduce multi-vehicle crash rates, reduce vehicle costs and make driving a lot more friendly and courteous across the U.S.”
Personal injury attorney Eddie Farah supports efforts to save lives and prevent injuries on Florida’s roads and highways. If you have been injured in a car accident that was not your fault, contact Farah & Farah at (800) 533-3555 for a free consultation.
By Eddie Farah
