A recent fatal car accident involving a self-driving car has raised issues about the safety of these vehicles. Video footage from the incident shows the back-up driver looking down when the incident occurred. Currently, cars with this technology have human back-up drivers who are supposed to step in to prevent accidents from occurring when the technology fails. However, if the back-up driver isn’t paying attention, then other motorists are put at risk.
Distracted driving remains a leading cause of car crashes in the United States and California. The most recent statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission in 2015 show that distracted driving accounted for 391,000 accidents and 3,477 fatalities.
Further, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety, among distracted driving activities, more than 44% of Californians believe that texting while driving is the number one distraction. Further, more than 54% state that they have been hit – or nearly hit – by a driver who was talking or texting. Tragically, 10% of drivers involved in fatal car accidents under the age of 20 were distracted at the time. While laws have been enacted to prevent distracted driving, it still remains a significant driver confronting anyone on the road.
For more information or if you have been injured in any type of motor vehicle accident, please contact the experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyers at Bostwick Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.