Drowsy Driver Alert Systems May Reduce Trucking Accidents

When a driver falls asleep while operating their vehicle, they place not only their own lives but the lives of others at risk for personal injury.Other drivers on the road, passengers and pedestrians are in great danger when a drowsy driver continues to operate their vehicle without the proper amount of rest.

Truck driver fatigue is only one of many causes of trucking accidents.Commercial truck drivers spend many hours per day on the road and are particularly susceptible to drowsy driving. Despite Federal Motor Safety Regulations the amount of time truckers can be on the road before taking mandatory rest breaks, truckers often suffer from irregular sleep cycles and even sleep deprivation. Collisions between trucks and passenger cars differ from typical car accidents and can result in severe physical injuries including death.

In an effort to reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents caused by falling asleep at the wall, researchers have developed cutting edge technologies to detect drowsy driving and to wake up drivers who begin to drift off. Some of the new state of the art driver alert systems include features such as:

• LED lights that stimulate morning light to trick a driver’s circadian rhythm into wakefulness
• Audible alarms including both beeping alarms and voice alarm announcements
• Vibrating driver seats or steering wheels
• Air emissions (cold bursts of air to wake up drivers)
• Automatic steering that takes over when a driver begins to drift into another lane
• Alerts when driving behavior does not match a predetermined driving profile
• Wakefulness monitors (based on such factors as proximity to other cars, driving direction)
• Facial recognition software that can determine drowsiness from facial expressions

Just as seatbelts have become an expected feature in every car, car safety advocates continue to lobby the automobile industry for the inclusion of these new technologies in all motor vehicles. Many manufacturers including Saab and Mercedes-Benz already have begun to include many of these drowsy driver alert systems in their new vehicles.

The Personal Injury Attorneys at the Law Offices of Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP Advocate for Victims of Drowsy Driving Car Accidents and Trucking Accidents in Delaware and Pennsylvania

If you or your loved one has been injured as a result of truck driver fatigue, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical treatment costs, property damage, lost wages and pain and suffering. The Delaware truck accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP have a proven track record of obtaining large settlements for victims of drowsy driving and trucking accidents. With offices conveniently located in Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we handle accident cases throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. Call Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP today at (302) 295-5050, toll free at (800) 300-0909 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.