Top Automation Products to Help You Stay Focused While Driving

Driving a car safely demands your complete attention. At the same time, it is easy to get distracted by the things going on around you. Passing scenery, searching for your phone or directions, and even talking to other passengers can cause you to divert your focus long enough for car accidents and injuries to occur. Fortunately, there are increasing numbers of technological devices and aids that can help to make driving safer and easier, while helping to decrease the chances for distracted driving to occur.  

Automated Technology To Help Prevent Accidents and Injuries

The latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that roughly eight people are killed and over 1,000 injured as the result of distracted driving accidents each day in the U.S. While commonly associated with the use of cellphones and texting, distracted driving includes anything that causes drivers to lose focus on the task in front of them or that prevents them from keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the steering wheel.  

According to Traveler’s Insurance, automated technology in the motor vehicle industry has improved dramatically over the past several years. There are now an increasing number of features that are available on newer vehicles, designed to assist and alert drivers before car accidents and injuries occur. These include the following:

• Adaptive cruise control, which can sense when a vehicle ahead of the driver is occupied by a distracted driver and adjust or reduce the car’s speed accordingly.
• Forward collision warning systems, similar to adaptive cruise control, sense when a crash is imminent even if the driver does not, and automatically slow the car to avoid or reduce impacts.
• Backup alarms and cameras, which alert drivers to people or obstacles behind them that they either overlooked or failed to see.
• Blind spot monitoring, which will alert you if you fail to check your car’s blind spots before attempting to switch lanes.
• Lane departure warning systems, which alerts you if you lose focus and your car drifts out of the lane you are in, potentially avoiding collisions with oncoming traffic.

Add On Safety Technology

Even if your vehicle does not come equipped with the latest safety features, there are add on technologies that can help you avoid distracted driving behind the wheel. Business Insider recommends the following:

• Bluetooth car kit, which allows you to make calls, play music, and check messages hands-free;
• GPS systems, which are nothing new, but are a safer and more reliable way to get directions as opposed to using up the battery on your phone;
• Automatic car adapters, which plug into your car’s OBD-II port and alert you to issues with speed, braking, and fuel consumption, while diagnosing problems that activate your check engine light.

Our Portland Car Accident Attorneys Are Here For You

If you or someone you care about is involved in a distracted driving accident, contact the Johnston Law Firm today. Our car accident attorneys understand the serious injuries that can result, and can assist you in getting the compensation you need to recover.