A St Louis personal injury lawyer discusses
whether self-driving cars may be safer than
conventional vehicles.
As Google and others continue to develop self-driving vehicles, the safety of these vehicles has been a growing concern among some parties, with the central issue being whether self-driving vehicles will, in fact, be safer than standard vehicles controlled by drivers.
Just some of the reasons that concerns over the safety of self-driving vehicles have been mounting in recent months have included that:
- There have been an increasing number of reports regarding collisions involving self-driving vehicles.
- One study1 has even revealed that self-driving vehicles may be more prone to crashes than standard vehicles, as these researchers reportedly discovered that self-driving cars are about five times more likely to be involved in collisions than standard vehicles.
So, are self-driving vehicles really safer? Taking a look at some more facts about these vehicles may shed light on the answer…
Latest Facts about Self-Driving Vehicles
- Google’s self-driving cars have been in 17 crashes to date – According to the November 2015 report from Google, these have all been “minor” collisions, and this total is reflective of the crash rate for more than 2 million miles of driving. In most cases, these crashes were rear-end collisions, involving only minor injuries.
- None of these crashes were caused by the self-driving vehicle – Interestingly, all of the accidents involving Google’s self-driving vehicles have been caused by other motorists. And this fact seems to underscore another fact, namely that about 94 percent of all traffic crashes in the U.S. involve a “human” element as a “critical cause.” And these human-related causes typically come at the hands of motorists and often involve (but are by no means limited to) drunk driving, distracted driving and reckless driving.
- When self-driving vehicles have been in crashes, the injuries have been relatively minor – In fact, the same study that found that self-driving vehicles are about five times more likely to be in crashes than standard vehicles also reported finding that occupants of self-driving vehicles tend to sustain less severe injuries than people in conventional vehicles when crashes occur.
- To date, self-driving vehicles have zero fatality rate – In other words, to date, no one has been killed in a crash involving a self-driving vehicle.
In light of the above facts, it would seem that self-driving vehicles have the potential to be safer than conventional cars. What do you think? Are you convinced or still skeptical about the safety of self-driving vehicles? Post your opinions and comments on our Facebook & Google+ pages.
Contact a St Louis Personal Injury Lawyer at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law
If you have been hurt in a traffic crash – or if you have lost a loved one to a fatal car accident, contact a St Louis personal injury lawyer at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law. We have a long-standing commitment to serving our clients, and we are experienced at aggressively defending our clients’ rights in any legal setting.
To learn more about how we can help you, attend a free, no obligations initial consult with one of our lawyers today. You can schedule this meeting by calling us at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office. You can also email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen.
