Pedestrian accidents are far too common. In most situations, there are no legal grounds for a car striking a person in that the driver will be held responsible. Yet, that is not easy to do. The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration is working to find ways to reduce the risks to people walking along today’s busy streets. One way they do this is by developing and including technology in vehicles to provide more features for avoiding pedestrians. Call a Newnan pedestrian accident attorney from Kam, Ebersbach & Lewis, P.C., for a free consultation.
Finding Ways to Protect Pedestrians
With the help of various agencies throughout the country, the federal government is testing out strategies that may help reduce risk. For example, the organization is working with the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority on an area where a high risk of pedestrian accidents occurs. They established a pedestrian collision warning app that would alert drivers who were leaving the highway to slow down as they moved into that rural area, potentially protecting people who may be right around the corner.
This particular example uses cameras that detect people moving through the area, such as on crosswalks. When it detects a person there, it sends a message to the vehicle capable of receiving them within that area. That allows the driver to be alerted to the risk and, therefore, slow down.
Vehicle-to-Everything Technology
CV technology or vehicle-to-everything technology allows for the transmission of safety warnings when there is a high risk of a collision. The process would incorporate the use of devices that could be carried by pedestrians to send signals to the equipment in vehicles when they are nearby when they are on the road. This could then issue an audio or visual warning to the driver of the person in the roadway.
Visibility Treatments
Another initiative focuses on visibility concerns. With a broad range of applications, the agency plans to help minimize risks to vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bike riders. Low visibility conditions make it hard for drivers to spot people in a wheelchair or scooter, for example, moving across the roadway.
This new type of technology would improve pedestrian visibility at high-risk locations, preventing crashes. It would be implemented into the current infrastructure with the support of local communities. Various types of technology are being tested for this type of communication.
Connected Vehicles Make a Difference
With the federal government looking for ways to enhance the safety of people on the road, you can count on technology being a large portion of this. With vehicles today being more connected than ever, this type of technology will likely continue to grow and become more implemented into the day-to-day life of drivers. Without a doubt, it could be an impressive experience to receive a warning on your dash that someone is crossing the street a block ahead of you in the middle of the night, providing you with the ability to avoid those types of accidents. Full innovation and collaboration are often necessary for such endeavors, but there is a lot of potential.