While the fatality rate for US licensed drivers has almost halved since the early 1990s, the total number of traffic-related fatalities in the US has grown by sound 5,000 in the past decade.
Getting these numbers down is crucial if we’re to make American roads safer for driver and their families, and the innovations that will protect drivers, riders, and pedestrians from harm are being driven by automakers and legislators.
There are a host of new car features being developed by car manufacturers to enhance driver safety. But what are they, how will they help, and why is training key to their phasing in?
How New Technology Is Helping Reduce Road Accidents
There are all sorts of innovations that car manufacturers are rolling out to help drivers avoid danger while out on the open road:
- Electronic stability control systems – Mandatory on all new cars since September 2011, this technology takes over the vehicle if it is about to spin or plow out, preventing a loss of control.
- Backup cameras – Required on all new cars since May 2018, cameras that allow the driver to see behind them via dashboard monitors are key to ensuring they don’t mistakenly hit pedestrians when reversing.
- Blind spot detection – Not yet mandatory, blind spot detection alerts drivers to hazards when they may be unable to see the threat, such as during lane changes on highways.
- Driver assistance systems – Driver-controlled automation is beginning to find its way into vehicles on US roads right now. It includes systems like automatic emergency braking, lane change warnings, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warnings designed to prevent accidents through increased situational awareness and light automation.
- Fully autonomous vehicles – Right now, more than 1,400 self-driving cars are being tested by the likes of Tesla, Uber, and Google. As these technologies mature and overcome legal hurdles, we’ll certainly see fully autonomous cars on highways, able to react to risks quicker than humans, reducing accidents and fatalities in kind.
How Car Makers Will Need To Train Workers
There are two things these innovations have in common: electronics and automation. A far cry from the kind of work mechanics have historically had to carry out on cars, training up staff at car production facilities, as well as auto repair yards across the country, is crucial.
READ: The Importance Of Health And Safety In The Automotive Industry
Training workers will require a much more in-depth approach to training than simply sending staff off on a course. The government must invest in youth skills via resources that teach children the coding and electronics skills that the mechanics and manufacturers now have to rely on most.
These educational building blocks then need to be built on throughout high school, college, and hands-on training. Then, in work, regular training must be provided to workers. This will help keep their skills honed to work on the constant stream of innovations hitting the auto industry.
READ: How to Improve Emergency Communications: 6 Useful Tips
What do you think needs to be done to keep fatalities low on the USA’s roads? Do you think these innovations will help? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
