Labor Day weekend is more than just the last summer holiday. For car dealers, it is an opportunity to give consumers great deals on this year’s models, as they want to clear room for the next year’s models. For many consumers, it is a golden opportunity to get a great deal; for others, it is a sign that 2016 models are coming fairly soon.
For those who are in the market to buy a car, chances are that you will be persuaded by the newest safety features; including lane detection systems, proximity warning alerts and automatic braking. These features are marketed as systems that can help prevent accidents and save lives.
While buyers may not be convinced of the safety potential, it appears that federal regulators are. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a report that detailed the potential safety benefits of advanced warning systems. In fact, it estimated that more 75 percent of all crashes reported each year could be prevented by proximity warning systems and lane warning alerts. With that, the estimated 500,000 people who are hurt in car accidents could avoid injury.
The NTSB recommends that these systems become standard on all vehicles. It remains to be seen whether this will become a reality, as well as how soon it will come to be. This decision appears to be in the hands of automakers, who must make a business decision on whether it will be profitable to make such technology standard.
In the meantime, drivers still have a duty to use reasonable care while behind the wheel; which means that they must make sure it is safe to make lane changes and turns.