Manufacturers are constantly coming up with new ways to make their vehicles safer. They have been doing so for decades. So why are car crash injuries and fatalities still so high?
Researchers have come up with several explanations that could help explain this apparent failure of technology to improve things.
Drivers don’t understand the limitations of the technology
Let’s use the example of blind spot monitoring systems. Some drivers believe they can rely on these to tell them when someone or something is alongside them. They believe that provided the system is not sounding, they can safely make a move. All these systems do is tell you when something is in your blind spot. What’s more, some can miss pedestrians or cyclists even when they are in that blind spot, due to their size.
Drivers drive worse thinking the safety features will save them
Someone driving a tank-like vehicle filled with airbags and other safety features may believe their car will save them no matter what. That could lead them to take more risks, and eventually, they may find out that even their vehicle has limits to the protection it can offer.
Drivers didn’t realize there was an on/off switch
Some people do not benefit from safety technology because they don’t have it activated. This might be intentional because they don’t like the beeping noises. Or it might be unintentional – perhaps they just assumed it was on when they bought the car, or maybe they or their children inadvertently switched it off
In-car safety features certainly can help to make driving safer. But only if drivers understand their limitations, continue to drive with appropriate caution, and ensure their vehicles’ safety systems are activated.