New Study Reveals Way to Lower Vehicular-Related Fatalties

Statistics show over 1.25 million people from vehicular-related injury each year. To put that number into perspective, that translates into over 3,200 deaths per day. In an effort to curb these numbers, researchers at the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute conducted a stud on various vehicle safety features and how they affected fatalities. Known as the On the Road to Zero Crashes, study, it reveals some interesting ways to promote automotive safety.

High-Intensity Discharge Headlights

While most vehicles are manufactured with reflector headlights, installing high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights may lower the risk of collisions. According to the study, vehicles equipped with HID headlights are 21% less likely to experience a collision than their counterparts with stock headlights. Researchers found that vehicles with HID headlights were specifically less likely to experience a nighttime collision with animals, pedestrians and cyclists.

Rear-Vision Video Camera

Another feature that can lower the risk of collision is a rear-vision video camera. As the name suggests, rear-vision video cameras are used to provide footage of what's behind a vehicle. In the study, researchers found that vehicles equipped with a rear-vision video camera were 21% less likely to experience a braking-related collision than vehicles without a rear-vision video camera.

Rear Park Assist

Collisions often occur when a driver attempts to back up and park. The good news is that many automakers are now using rear park assist in their vehicles. Researchers at the Transportation Research Institute found that vehicles with rear park assist were 38% less likely to experience a braking-related collision than vehicles without rear park assist.

Lane Change Assist

It's also worth mentioning that lane change assist can lower the risk of vehicular-related collision. According to the study, vehicles with lane change assist were 26% less likely to experience a collision than those without lane change assist. What is lane change assist? Basically, this modern feature is designed to help drivers change lanes by altering them to the presence of other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists or obstructions. If something is currently in the lane, the vehicle will alert the driver to minimize the risk of collision.

As you can see, there are several ways to promote safer roads, many of which involve the use of advanced automotive safety features. If automakers begin to include these features in all of their vehicles, it will likely have a substantial impact on the number of collisions, as well as fatalities, that occur while driving.