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Collision avoidance systems and rear-end collisions

On Behalf of | Apr 19, 2017 | Car Accidents

A rear-end collision in Kentucky can be a serious accident. In fact, the National Transportation Safety Board notes that from 2012 to 2014 this type of accident was responsible for more than 1,700 deaths in the country. With the majority of rear-end collisions being due to driver inattention, the NTSB has recommended that all vehicles come equipped with collision avoidance systems. These systems come with automatic breaking and alarm systems that alert drivers and stop the vehicle in time to prevent a rear-end crash.  

Because of the findings, the NTSB recommends that consumers purchase new vehicles equipped with the systems. If more vehicles have these systems, the occurrence and severity of rear-end accidents could be greatly reduced. In fact, a study showed that 87 percent of all rear-end collisions were due to drivers not paying attention to the road and traffic ahead of them. 

However, not every new vehicle comes with collision avoidance systems, and for most vehicles, the systems are optional, which means consumers must ask for them to be added and pay for the upgrade. So, why are these systems not standard on all new vehicles? According to USA Today, there is a bit of a struggle to get legislation in place to mandate car manufacturers to put collision avoidance systems in vehicles as a standard safety device. Despite repeat attempts, there has been little interest from the public and no push to actually follow through. In addition, vehicle manufacturers prefer to leave the systems as optional for consumers, letting them make the choice about whether they want them or not.