Who’s At Fault in a Car Accident? A Guide to Liability in Ohio
Posted in: Car Accidents
KNR Legal Blog
Since rear-end crashes are the most common type of auto collision, it has become important for car manufacturers to create new safety measures. In an effort to curb these types of accidents, cars are now being equipped with automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems, which are supposed to help avoid or reduce the severity of an accident by automatically slowing down or stopping a vehicle when it senses that a driver’s actions are insufficient. The NHTSA has urged automakers to make AEB systems a standard feature to help prevent or reduce the number of rear-end collisions, which account for 1,700 deaths and half a million injuries each year.
If you’ve been injured in a rear-end collision because of another driver’s negligence, the Ohio car accident lawyers at Kisling, Nestico & Redick can explain your options and pursue compensation for your losses through a personal injury claim. Contact us today at 1-800-HURT-NOW to receive a free consultation.
AEB systems fall into one of two categories–dynamic brake support (DBS) and crash imminent braking (CIB). DBS systems sense when a driver’s brake pressure is insufficient to avoid a crash and supplements the brake output to help prevent a crash. CIB systems automatically apply the brakes to slow or stop a car when a driver does not take any action to avoid a crash.
CIB and DBS systems have been available in certain vehicle models since 2006. Currently, around 10 percent of 2016 model-year vehicles have AEB systems available as a standard feature and 51 percent offer AEB systems as an option. Earlier this year, 20 automakers agreed to make AEB systems a standard feature on all new cars by 2022 and all new trucks by 2025.
According to the NHTSA, it is estimated that AEB systems could prevent up to 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries. However, new test results from AAA reveal that AEB systems vary significantly in design and performance. The test involved AEB systems that are designed to prevent crashes and those designed to reduce the severity of crashes. AAA evaluated five 2016 model-year vehicles equipped with AEB systems in realistic driving scenarios.
Over the course of 70 trials, the tests revealed that AEB systems designed to prevent crashes reduced vehicle speeds by twice that of AEB systems meant to reduce the severity of crashes. For vehicles traveling at 45 mph, AEB systems designed to avoid crashes reduced speeds by 74 percent while AEB systems intended to lessen crash severity were only effective at reducing vehicle speed by 9 percent overall.
The AAA test results show the differences between the performance of crash avoidance AEB systems and systems that are intended to lessen a crash’s severity. The NHTSA recently announced that it will start evaluating AEB systems under its 5-Star rating system beginning in 2018.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a rear-end or any type of car accident, contact Kisling, Nestico & Redick for experienced and compassionate representation. Our talented personal injury lawyers have more than 500 years of experience handling car accident claims and will fight to help you obtain the maximum available compensation for your injuries. We have helped car accident victims across Ohio recover compensation for:
Contact us today at 1-800-HURT-NOW to speak with one of our skilled Ohio car accident lawyers.