Intoxicated drivers pose a threat to road users in Missouri every day. To address this problem, Volvo Cars has announced a series of safety technology upgrades for its vehicles starting in 2020. By the early 2020s, the automaker plans to use cameras to monitor operators for signs of drunk driving. When the system detects erratic behavior or operation, it could automatically reduce speed and eventually park the car in a safe place.
A Volvo spokesperson has emphasized the automaker’s motivation to prevent accidents. Models for 2020 will include speed limiters that prevent the vehicles from traveling above 112 mph. The drunk driving intervention technology in development could also activate when drivers display distracted behavior. The system’s cameras work in conjunction with other sensors. Slow reaction times, excessive lane weaving, taking eyes off of the road and no steering for long periods of time would trigger alerts that could eventually take corrective action to halt the vehicle.
Volvo has pursued this technology to reduce a motorist’s ability to endanger others. The safety technology could counteract drivers who fail to recognize how alcohol or other intoxicates have influenced their driving skills. Drunk driving continues to kill or injure thousands of people every year. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 10,874 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes in 2017.
A drunk driver who causes a car crash may be considered liable for a victim’s medical expenses and other accident damages. Failure to operate a vehicle safely might represent negligence, and an attorney could support a plaintiff who needs to make an insurance claim or file a lawsuit. Legal counsel might assemble evidence to justify a settlement for hospitalization, disability, property damage or lost income.
