Attorney with The Hale Law Firm Comments on Auto Safety Regulation Push

Waxahachie, TX (Law Firm Newswire) January 29, 2014 – Automobile safety regulators are pushing for new devices that may help prevent driver error, the cause of many car accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTA) is making a push for new equipment that will help prevent collisions, immobilize cars if the driver is impaired and prevent automobiles from starting if seat belts are not fastened.

“There is no question that human error is behind most automobile collisions,” said John D. Hale, a Waxahachie car accident attorney. “Any type of new technology that can help reduce mistakes should be welcomed by automakers and drivers alike.”

According to the Safety Administration, 90 percent of automobile collisions involve some element of human error. The agency is pushing for the new equipment as part of an initiative to reduce traffic fatalities.

Although automakers have a record of resisting safety initiatives when they are first introduced (as they did with seat belts, air bags and the more recent backup cameras), manufacturers seem to be supportive of this latest push.

Auto safety experts and the insurance industry are also welcoming the new devices, saying they will lead to fewer injuries, deaths and insurance claims.

Much of the technology already exists. Cars already chime when a seat belt is not buckled, and automakers know how to link that system to the transmission to prevent the car from operating. Collision warning and automatic braking systems are already optional features on many cars.

Now a coalition of automakers is working with the Safety Administration to develop a Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety. The system would measure blood alcohol content using air sensors in the vehicle cabin, and then prevent the car from starting if it detects that the driver is above the legal limit.

Not everyone supports this new technology. The restaurant industry is among the groups complaining of government overreach. Analysts predict that the devices could add hundreds of dollars to the cost of vehicles. There is always the potential for technology to malfunction. One analyst suggested that the devices might pick up alcohol on the breath of passengers, preventing a sober driver from transporting them home.

Learn more at http://www.hale911.com/ The Hale Law Firm 100 Executive Court, Suite 3 Waxahachie, TX 75165 Call: 888.425.3911