Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
Researchers of the Strategic Highway Research Program are looking for participants for the Naturalistic Driving Study. After all, examining driving behavior during the natural events of critical situations should be able to lead us to conclusions that would improve safety and reduce the number of car accidents in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere in the country.
Palm Beach car accident attorneys know that understanding certain behaviors can lead to few car accidents but is monitoring equipment which detects how drivers interact in traffic going to give us the answers we are looking for?
Forbes reports that the in depth study will look at what goes on behind the wheel when a vehicle is about to crash or is involved in a crash. Looking at data on how 3,100 drivers react in adverse driving situations can help to develop strategies that will save lives in the future.
How the study will work:
-The study will examine 3,100 drivers over a 2-year period.
-Equipment, in the form of video cameras, will be installed inside the vehicle which will record vehicle speed and driver behavior from different angles which include forward views, rear views, views of the driver’s face and hands.
-Other equipment, in the form of GPS, sensors and wireless radar, will record roadway data and environmental factors. For instance, weather conditions, traffic, lane width, lighting and curve radius can all be detected with these devices.
-Every four to six months, encrypted data will be retrieved from a storage box.
In the past, much of the focus has been on protecting an occupant involved in a crash. This study will look at behavior and try to determine how to avoid crashes in the future.
Capturing driver behavior in real time will provide “objective information on driver behavior before a collision occurs,” says Ken Campbell, chief program officer for the Strategic Highway Research Program. “You can’t just look at collisions or near collisions to know what risk factors are. It’s that comparison with what the driver is doing when there is not a safety-related event that tells you what the risk factors are.”
Who are they looking for? Participants will be selected from Buffalo, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Durham, Bloomington, and State College, PA. Since teens and elder drivers are the two age groups that cause the most accidents, researchers are looking for a pool of subjects under 25 and over 65. Participants must provide proof of insurance and a valid license. They also must operate an approved vehicle which will be inspected once selected.
“This study is long overdue and has the potential for providing the most comprehensive look at why highway crashes occur,” said Peter Kissinger, president and chief executive of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “It is unprecedented in its scope and approach.”
Participants will be paid $500 for each year of commitment during the 2-year period.
Tampa drivers who own their own vehicle can check the Eligible Vehicles List to see if they qualify. The site also has contact information and directions to the research center.
Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC are an experienced team of car accident attorneys who represent victims in West Palm Beach, Miami, Margate, Port St. Lucie and Fort Lauderdale. Call for a free appointment to discuss your claim at 1-800-561-7777.
Additional Resources:
Crash Study Seek Participants In Effort to Save Lives, by Tanya Mohn, Forbes
SUVs Rated Safest in Car Accidents in West Palm and Elsewhere, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, June 10, 2011
Driver Inattention Can Cause Serious Injuries in Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, June 21, 2011
Safe Cars Help Reduce the Risk of Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, July 18, 2011