New York motorists who follow automotive technology may be interested in learning that safety warning systems work. A new study indicates that collision avoidance systems significantly reduced certain types of accidents.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety studied 5,000 car accidents that happened in 2015. These car accidents included one-car, head-on collisions and sideswipes in lane departure and blind spots the technology features are designed to prevent. The accident rate decreased to 11 percent in vehicles that had the warning systems. The injury rate also dropped by 21 percent. The study determined that 55,000 fewer people would have been injured in the 6 million car accidents in 2015 if all vehicles were equipped with collision avoidance systems.

Unfortunately, not all automobiles have these systems. Lane departure systems came installed as standard equipment in only 6 percent of new vehicles sold in 2017, and only 9 percent of new vehicles sold in that same year had blind spot warning systems as standard equipment. These systems could be added as options in 57 percent of the new vehicles, but they were usually grouped with other optional packages that increased the vehicle’s cost by several thousand dollars. Even when vehicles come equipped with collision avoidance systems, some drivers opt to turn them off, the study found.

While safety systems in automobiles reduce accidents, crashes still happen. People speed or become distracted while driving and may even get behind the wheel after drinking too much alcohol. Individuals who have been injured in car accidents caused by negligent drivers may be able to make a liability claim against that driver. A personal injury attorney may be able to explain the types of compensation available and assist the victim in obtaining a fair settlement for his or her injuries, pain and suffering, lost wages and medical expenses.