Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced new guidelines designed to limit the risk of distracted driving by preventing the operation of infotainment systems while cars are moving. Specifically, drivers would be unable to access email, browse the internet, enter an address into a navigation system, enter a phone number or see more than 30 characters of an incoming message unless the car is stopped and out of gear.
The newly proposed guidelines come at a time when many auto manufacturers are seeking to include infotainment systems – built-in electronic systems designed to allow drivers to access the internet, email, text messages, Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and more – in new models, but have not yet adopted comprehensive safety strategies for the design of these systems. The purpose of the new rules is not to limit the use of technology, but rather to make sure that manufacturers consider the dangers of distracted driving when designing new models.
According to estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving causes approximately 3,000 deaths in the United States each year. While texting while driving is responsible for many distracted driving accidents, any behavior that takes a driver’s attention away from the road can be dangerous.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident due to the negligence of another person, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can assess your case and help you get the fair and adequate compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more information, contact a personal injury attorney today.
