If you were injured in an auto accident in Connecticut and you know you did nothing negligent or reckless, then you may be able to file a personal injury claim. The case may get a little complicated if you or the other driver had certain safety features engaged, though. It’s a fact that advanced driver-assistance systems, or ADAS, can prevent crashes, but the technology is not perfect.
The role of driver-assistance systems
ADAS can warn drivers about impending crashes, whether on the highway or in a parking lot, through the use of features like forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, pedestrian detection and blind-spot detection. Then, if drivers cannot avoid a crash, the system can enable automatic emergency braking. Drivers can also maintain a safe following distance with adaptive cruise control and stay firmly in their lane via lane departure warning.
The benefits are clear. According to LexisNexis Risk Solutions, vehicles with ADAS are involved in 27% fewer bodily injury claims and 19% fewer claims for property damage. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that cars with blind-spot detection have a 14% lower crash involvement rate than the same models without it.
Glitches and high cost are drawbacks
The cameras and sensors that come with ADAS can be touchy, though, and may wind up applying the automatic emergency braking even when there’s no oncoming vehicle. These devices are expensive to install and repair with AAA stating that the average repair bill for an ADAS vehicle is twice that of other vehicles.
Another issue is the feeling of complacency that arises when drivers overestimate the abilities of ADAS. Some unrealistically believe that the features make their car self-driving, the result being distracted and inattentive driving.
A lawyer for one-on-one attention
Maybe the other driver in your personal injury case was distracted on account of ADAS. Whatever the situation, you may want a lawyer to speak to personally about your case. Your lawyer may help handle the filing process and negotiate on your behalf for a reasonable settlement that covers all monetary and non-monetary losses.