In the 1970s, a comprehensive study of road safety revealed that human error was the sole cause in 57% of all car accidents and was a contributing factor in over 90%. Fast forward to 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation, published a study which declared that “the critical reason, which is the last event in the crash causal chain, was assigned to the driver in 94% of the crashes.” Thus, carmakers, traffic engineers, community members, as well as regular people, tend to blame car accidents on human error substantially more than anything else.
But is it truly just human error that is to blame for the high number of car crashes? How much should actually be attributed to other factors, such as poor road designs or engineering issues on pedestrian vehicles?
Humans have very limited information processing abilities. When a driver fails to avoid an accident, it is more often called a “human error.” However, as it is generally known, most accidents are preventable. Most of new vehicle models now come with advanced safety features that can help prevent crashes. Some safety features, for example a blind-spot-detection system and pedestrian-detection technology, are not available on some vehicle models from the get-go.
On the other hand, better road designs could also help prevent these “human error” crashes. Throughout the country, roads, highways, and streets are either poorly maintained or poorly designed. Some of these roads are positioned in such a way that makes it difficult for drivers to see oncoming traffic at certain times of the day. Others may have flaws on them, such as potholes or bumps. These design issues can greatly affect the ability of a driver to correctly navigate through roads.
While different studies show that 94% of car crashes are due to “human error,” a closer look at this statistic may show a very different picture. The fact is that everyone, from drivers to carmakers, to engineers must contribute to lower the death tool on American roads.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash, call Abraham Watkins today. It is imperative that you find a law firm to manage your claim as soon as possible following an incident of this nature. Further, it is important to find a skilled law firm with experience handling these cases to ensure that companies are held fully accountable.
The law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner is the long-standing personal injury firm in Texas, and our attorneys are standing by to assist with your claim. Call us today at 713-742-6002 or 1-888-261-8831 for your free consultation.