I just read the news article, “Car Crashes: Fatigue, Slippery Roads, And Inexperience More Critical than Thought”, posted in November 2 which I find very interesting. The article was based on a study conducted in Sweden by researchers of the International Journal of Vehicle Safety.
The study revealed that other causes of car accidents must be considered in designing the safety features of new cars. While drunk driving and excessive speeds are often blamed for most car crashes, the study also pointed out that other causes of car accidents can be just as important as factors in designing the new car.
To arrive at this conclusion, the research group studied the cases of 38 car accidents in Gothenburg. Based on the findings of the group, the causes of car crashes may be grouped into four scenarios:
- First scenario – the driver drifts off road into oncoming traffic due to fatigue, sleepiness or distraction.
- Second scenario – the driver loses control of vehicle because of poor traction caused by slippery road
- Third scenario – the driver loses control in a bend due to excessive speed
- Fourth scenario – the driver panics when vehicle gets out of control and fails to steer out of trouble
These findings are correct and I support the idea that the new design for safety features in vehicles must take in consideration the new information about car crashes. I think car manufacturers should look into this and find ways to compensate for the causes enumerated. Then perhaps in the future, incidents of car crashes will decrease when the new safety features are finally put in place.
