Do you ever feel like the drivers around you are getting worse? Maybe you have been involved in more near misses or read news stories about increasing car accidents. It seems like everyone is making more mistakes.
At the same time, the technology in modern vehicles is better than ever. Much of this technology is used for driver safety. Examples include adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning systems and even automatic braking systems. Backup cameras are now standard equipment on all new vehicles.
The rise of complacency
Interestingly, the same safety technology could be part of the problem. There are many who believe that it is making drivers complacent, so they make mistakes that would not have happened in the past.
For example, before changing lanes on the interstate, a driver should always manually check their blind spots and mirrors. But if a driver knows they have a blind spot monitoring system, are they less likely to perform these checks? If the system does not work perfectly, that could lead to an accident that would have been avoided if they had just turned their head or checked the mirror.
Additionally, technology can sometimes be a distraction in the car. Is a driver who is fiddling with their adaptive cruise control paying less attention to the traffic ahead of them? Anything that distracts a driver potentially increases the risk of an accident.
Seeking compensation
Have you been injured in a car crash caused by another driver? If you have, you may deserve compensation for medical bills, lost wages and much more.