Computers have gotten smaller, cameras lighter, and radar and laser camera systems are no longer the stuff of science fiction. As automobiles become more advanced, they are helping provide valuable information that can show the precise chain of events that occurs when an accident happens.
Advanced safety technology can record valuable data in the seconds leading up to and following a collision. It can show the point of impact, the speed the vehicle was traveling when the collision occurred, and it can show the path of damage through the vehicle. This information can be compiled and correlated to the injuries drivers and passengers sustain during an accident. Thus, drivers and passengers who suffer whiplash, concussions, broken bones, or other injuries can draw a direct connection to the types of injuries they sustained and the information the vehicle’s onboard computers have recorded.
Moreover, advanced technology including dash cameras, bumper cameras, etc., can provide a visual record that shows the accident in real time. While a photograph may be worth a thousand words, a video is worth ten times as much. Video recording can show everything from distracted driving to drunk driving, and in the case of a hit-and-run, it can record a license plate making it easier for law enforcement to track down the offender. All of this translates into a more efficient, and expedited accident investigation process.
Proper Repairs are Essential
Lidar, radar, cameras, and sensors that help track accidents can be costly to replace when a vehicle is involved in an accident. Moreover, if they are not properly repaired, they can cause future accidents. Thus, it is imperative that proper repairs are conducted following an accident. These days, even a minor fender bender can jar a sensor or camera out of alignment. If these technological tools are not properly repaired and calibrated, they can send false readings in the future. These can result in collisions that would otherwise be avoidable.
For this reason, anyone who has been involved in an automobile accident should carefully review the repair report to ensure that the technology contained within their vehicle has been thoroughly inspected and repaired to the manufacturer’s specifications. Additionally, anyone who has been involved in an accident with a vehicle equipped with anything from lidar to radar should have their auto accident attorney check to see that the systems on the other vehicle were in proper working order. If they were not, it’s quite possible they were a contributing cause to an automobile accident.