Could “Black Boxes” Reduce the Number of North Carolina Auto Accidents?
A compelling article in the Los Angeles Times suggests a cool new method for reducing the number and severity of North Carolina auto accidents – by applying a forensic tactic used in aviation accidents.
EDRs, also known as “black boxes,” could be installed in automobiles to help investigators understand the nature of roadway crashes. Tom Kowalick, a North Carolina professor, working with a former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, has been pushing overseers to urge manufacturers to install EDRs in their vehicles. All told, EDRs can measure 86 different data streams — these data can help forensic experts and auto engineers immensely in terms of understanding why crashes happen, how to develop better systems, and much more.
As the auto blog www.auto-mobi.info reports: “making comprehensive data collection mandatory… would cost only around $0.50 per vehicle… [but it] has met regular opposition from auto manufacturers and endured slow progress through the federal bureaucracy.” The blog goes on to report that the NHTSA has inadequate regulations – and even if companies want to install black boxes, “only 15 data elements are mandated.” Fortunately, most vehicles out there can be adapted to record data that can provide powerful and compelling evidence.
Indeed, as auto-mobi reports: “NHTSA relied heavily on available EDR data in its investigation of suspected Toyota auto defects” – if you remember, the Toyota accelerator debacle dominated the news about a year ago.
Until we have better records, however, accident victims will need to rely on more traditional methods to get compensated and to sieve out relevant data and facts. A North Carolina auto accident law firm can provide critical assistance, reduce your sense of “overwhelm” and help you maximize your compensation for your injuries, time off work, and pain and suffering.
More Web Resources:
Tom Kowalick
www.auto-mobi.info post on EDRs and cars
