Author: Anthony Proffitt

Perhaps the single most touted benefit of fully autonomous vehicles is improved public safety. Tennessee residents are told that this improved safety should come to them in the form of fewer accidents. Some may wonder if this is possible. Others wonder if it could ever be possible to eliminate all car accidents.

As explained by Scientific American, a self-driving vehicle’s ability to avoid or prevent an accident from happening relies on two basic things. One of these is effective technology that can accurately detect potential hazards. With this information, the vehicle may then adjust accordingly to avert a crash from taking place. The other is the ability to proactively consider the actions of another vehicle whether autonomous or human-driven and then respond appropriately.

The fact of the matter is that there remain challenges in both of these areas. Environmental factors such as fog or light may prevent a self-driving car’s sensors from operating properly or from reading a situation accurately. Additionally, it seems a daunting task to think that a software program can be created for a self-driving car which covers all possible actions that a human driver may take. If a particular action is not included in the software, the autonomous vehicle may not be able to take corrective action and avoid a crash. These factors have contributed to multiple wrecks including autonomous vehicles already.

This article is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give Tennessee residents more information about the nature of the risks they face on the road even with improving technology.

When people are involved in a car accident in Tennessee, they may be most worried about the physical injuries they incurred. Sometimes, though, emotional injuries remain long after physical wounds have healed. It is important to recognize signs of emotional trauma so people know when they need to seek help.

Emotional trauma can come in many forms. According to FindLaw, someone may often feel overwhelmed or lonely or might become irritable or moody. Some people feel fatigued or have nightmares and trouble sleeping. A person’s behavior may also change. Some people become socially withdrawn and others might develop compulsive habits. All of these are signs that a person has suffered from emotional trauma after the car crash.

Some people might think that this emotional trauma only arises after serious collisions. HelpGuide.org says that people can feel traumatized after the incident if they feel there was nothing they could have done to stop it. If people did not have time to prepare for the impact or if it occurred suddenly, people may also develop emotional trauma. This is because the severity of the collision is not one of the factors that make it traumatic. Instead, a person’s emotional experience determines how someone processes the event.

Sometimes a person may realize that he or she is not recovering from emotional trauma. People may realize they have flashbacks or nightmares about the collision or that they feel emotionally distant from their friends and family. Other people might find that they are relying on drugs or alcohol to get through their day. In this situation, it is a good idea to find professional help.

Drivers in Tennessee and across the entire country are aware of the fact that drunk driving is dangerous and can end lives. But what about the other common road hazards? Here’s a look at some of the top causes for crashes that don’t involve alcohol.

Distracted driving comes in at the top of the list. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has named distracted driving as one of the biggest current threats to drivers. The numbers continue to worsen by the year, showing that it’s a persistent problem. Hazards can come in the form of visual, cognitive, or manual distraction. In short, distracted driving can involve taking one’s eyes off the road, letting thoughts drift, or physically removing hands from the steering wheel.

Driving while fatigued is another common issue, and the National Sleep Foundation claims it can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. This is because a drowsy person has similar reaction times and cognitive awareness as someone who has had too much to drink. They are more likely to get distracted, as well. In some cases, it’s even possible for extremely fatigued drivers to fall asleep at the wheel, easily leading to crashes.

Finally, speeding is a big problem. Drivers cite many different reasons for going over the speed limit. They may be late for an appointment, suffering from an emergency, or maybe they just want to beat traffic. In any case, higher speeds equal a higher chance of getting into an accident.

These are just a few of the many different catalysts for accidents on the road. They are all also preventable, just like drunk driving, which means behavioral awareness can help cut down on these accident causes.