Motor City Accident Attorneys: March 2016

Monday, March 28, 2016

Driver-less Cars: Are They Ready for the Road?

Google introduced autonomous or driver-less cars in 2009. It is believed these self-driving vehicles will be the future of vehicle transportation. With autonomous cars, accidents could be greatly reduced due to the fact that these types of vehicles are designed to follow the rules of the road and avoid reckless driving, or other distracted and driver-error crashes.

However, these vehicles are not perfect. In fact, some have even gotten into a few accidents. The most recent one that has caused controversy is an accident that happened on February 14, 2016 in California. A Google self-driving car, while operating in “autonomous mode,” changed lanes on a roadway and got struck, as it cut in front of a bus. The irony is that the collision was caused because the computer-controlled car apparently exercised the same faulty judgment that a human would have: It saw the bus coming, but “believed the bus would stop or slow to allow the Google vehicle to continue.” Approximately three seconds later, as the Google AV was reentering the center of the lane it made contact with the side of the bus. Fortunately, nobody was injured, but this still serves as a reminder that some work still needs to be done before we all trust driverless cars to drive us safely in the future.

Even though these vehicles can make errors just as humans do, they still have the possibility of making a lot of positive changes on the road, as long as there are no other human-driven cars. If human-driven cars become obsolete and the only vehicles on the road are robot cars that are made to follow the rules and drive safely, then the roads will be a much safer place for everybody. This safety benefit is what is prompting Google and other companies to take on this innovation. However, there will still be many, many years till we see these vehicles regularly on the road. Not only because they still need some work done on them to perform with very minimal flaws, but also because it’s going to take a long time to have these vehicles take over the road. Researchers believe just 10% of light vehicles sold in 2035 will be autonomous, and that we won’t see full autonomous ubiquity until 2050.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join the conversation by using #MCAA.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Study: U.S. Drivers Increasingly Dangerous, Distracted Half the Time

Motorists in the U.S. are increasingly becoming more dangerous on the road. At least half the time that they are driving, they are engaged in some form of distraction. This was concluded by the largest, federally-funded study in the U.S., which the results were recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) reported that in the early 2000s, drivers in the U.S. had a per-mile fatality rate that was better than the vast majority of developed countries. Today, however, the U.S. is ranked No. 17 out of 29. In terms of roadway fatalities, our per-mile death rate, as compared to other countries is:

- 11.4 in the U.S.

- 3.7 in the U.K.

- 6.8 in Canada

- 9.1 in the Philippines

- 6.8 in Brunei

The main issue causing these numbers in the U.S. especially is the phenomenon of cell phone distraction. The study tracked the driving habits of 3,500 drivers over the course of three years. With permission from the participants, of course, researchers installed cameras, sensors, and radar inside the participants’ vehicles. They tracked the drivers’ behavior with every mile they drive. Participants were fully aware they were being watched, though the results were anonymous. In the end, researchers were able to analyze data from 35 million miles traveled.

Researchers discovered that drivers here in the U.S. are using their phone in some way for 50 percent of the drive. And despite that many states have laws about no texting while driving and we all are aware that it is dangerous, cell phone use while driving still remains a prominent issue for most U.S. drivers.

Texting itself wasn’t actually all that common. Researchers saw drivers texting about 1.91 percent of the time. However, the drivers who did text increased their odds of an accident by 6-fold, as compared to drivers who were 100 percent alert and attentive. Dialing a number was less common – observed just 0.14 percent of the time. Yet, researchers found that it was correlated with a 12-fold increase in car accidents. Talking on the phone was more common, with researchers observing this behavior 3.24 percent of the time. Talking on the phone showed to double the odds of a crash. Reaching for a phone increased the risk of a crash by five times.

Aside from cell phones, eating, drinking, and applying makeup didn’t make much of a difference in driver performance. However, driving while emotionally distraught had a big impact. Even though this was only observed to occur about 0.2 percent of the time, someone who was extremely emotional or agitated resulted in a 1,000-fold increased risk of an accident.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Preventing Pedestrian Accidents

As the weather has been warming up now that spring is here, people in Michigan are going outside more for walks and to get some sun. With more people going outside and walking, the more the chances of pedestrian accidents increase. Not only that, but because gas is cheaper, more people are driving as well. So more cars on the road in addition to more pedestrians can mean more accidents. Unfortunately, the number of people being hit by cars is rising. In Michigan, there were 148 pedestrians killed in 2014, according to recent data from the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Facts. Between 2010 and 2014, pedestrian fatalities in southeast Michigan were 50% higher than the statewide average. As a result, Detroit has been named one of the Federal Highway Administration’s pedestrian safety focus cities.

Here are some more Michigan Pedestrian Accident statistics:

- There were 2,406 pedestrians involved in 2,280 motor vehicle crashes in 2014.

- Of the 148 pedestrians killed, 44 (29.7%) of the deaths were the result of an alcohol-involved crash and 35 of those pedestrians had been drinking.

- While only 1% of traffic crashes involve pedestrians, nearly 25% of traffic-related deaths are pedestrians.

- 80% of pedestrian deaths occur during nighttime.

Nationwide, however, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) estimates that the number of pedestrian fatalities jumped by 10% last year, a year-to-year increase that comes after a 19% increase from 2009 to 2014. In addition, pedestrian deaths in 2015 are projected to account for 15% of all traffic fatalities for the first time in 25 years.

Here are some safety tips for pedestrians to keep in mind:

- Be seen: Wear bright or reflective clothing.

- Be extra alert at night. The darkness makes it harder for drivers to see you.

- Don’t just assume drivers can see you.

- Walk against traffic. When biking, go with traffic.

- Avoid distractions such as using your phone or listening to loud music through headphones.

- Use crosswalks.

- Obey traffic signals.

- Always make eye contact with drivers before entering the street.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Safety Tips for Driving at Night

Nighttime is the riskiest time to be on the roads. One third of all car accidents occur at night and more than half of reported fatalities are due to driving at night. While there are fewer cars on the road at night, and usually fewer cars means less chances of getting into an accident, there are simply too many other factors that actually increase those chances. Here are some tips for driving at night that also explain why it is so risky to do so:

- Always keep your headlights clean and make sure they are properly working, as well as your taillights. Accidents often happen when a car’s taillights are not working and therefore end up getting rear-ended.

- It is recommended that you should always turn your headlights on as soon as the sun starts to set. Even though it’s still not completely dark yet, you want to remain the most visible so it’s best not to take a chance.

-Unless you are driving in a very rural or dark area/highway, always make sure your high-beam headlights are not in use. High-beam lights can distract and make it hard for drivers from the opposite direction to see clearly.

- Always keep your windshield clean. Even slightly dirty windshields could have a great impact on how visibly you can see the road. And if your windshield has any cracks, you should get it replaced immediately because cracked windshields can be dangerous.

- Stay alert. Don’t be on your phone or do anything that can distract you. It’s harder to see at night so it’s especially important during that time that you are completely focused on the road.

- Watch for drunk drivers. The majority of drunk driving accidents occur in the early morning hours of the day after midnight. Make sure you stay alert and are cautious about how other drivers nearby are driving.

- Watch for motorcycles. The single headlight/taillight on a motorcycle can be confusing for other drivers and make them feel like the motorcycle is further away from them than it really is.

- Watch your speed. The more you speed, the less time you have to react in a sudden hazardous situation. The fact that darkness makes it harder to see makes it even worse. High speed and low visibility should never be combined.

- Don’t drive if feeling drowsy. You’re more likely to be drowsy at night and therefore possibly doze off/fall asleep.

As you can see, the main factors that can cause accidents during this time is due to decreased visibility and increased reckless driving. Even if you drive carefully at night, sometimes an accident will be inevitable because of another driver’s error that doesn’t give you enough time to react. It’s best to avoid driving during this time, but if you have to, use extra caution.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Why You Should Never Use Cruise Control in the Rain

Cruise control can be a useful and convenient way to travel when traveling long distance on a highway that is free of traffic. However, this is not a feature you should use if driving in the rain. If you’re using cruise control and heavy rain starts pouring down, be sure to disable cruise control. If you end up hydroplaning, your cruise control can make it a lot more dangerous. Hydroplaning occurs when a layer of water builds between the wheels of a vehicle and the road surface, leading to a loss of traction that prevents the vehicle from responding to control inputs. This is why wet roads make driving conditions dangerous – because the rainwater causes the oil and grease on the road to rise up to the top of the water, creating a slippery, ice-like condition on the road. Hydroplaning can even happen at speeds as low as 35 MPH.

If this occurs while cruise control is turned on, it can be made worse because the cruise control will continue to try to keep your vehicle going at a constant speed. You can disable it by applying your brakes, but if you do not have anti-lock brakes, hitting your brakes while hydroplaning will only make the skidding worse.

If you’re driving on wet roads, disable your cruise control and lower your speed. If you do start to skid or hydroplane, take your foot off the gas, grasp the steering wheel with both hands, and steer toward the direction of the skid. Once you have some control you can correct your car and get centered back in your lane.

Although most modern vehicles have traction control systems in place to avoid these issues while driving on wet roads, there are still older vehicles that do not have these types of systems. Either way, cruise control systems vary per vehicle. The main danger of cruise control is the initial speed and the “hitting the brake” reaction that most people perform when losing control of their vehicle, particularly for vehicles without anti-lock brake systems. It should be noted, however, that if using cruise control on wet roads, your vehicle wouldn’t go faster because there is no traction; it will only try to maintain speed. But it is still recommended you should turn off cruise control and reduce your speed when it is raining or the roads are wet.