“They are more courteous and more defensive drivers than normal drivers.”
~ Chris Urmson, Google’s director of the self-driving programme.
The long view of history makes one factor pinpoint clear: human beings make mistakes. And there’s no clearer proof of this than our annual road death statistics. Literally thousands of people die every year on our roads. Death is one thing but the appalling number of injuries resulting from our bad driving habits, is another. Many of these injuries are life-changing and the cost to the country runs into many millions. So, the question arises: can we find a better way to drive cars?
Driving in South Africa
Each year on our roads between 11,000 to 14,000 people lose their lives. The sad thing is that many of these accidents are preventable; they are the result of drivers not paying attention. Even though most drivers start out with good training and an awareness of safety, over time they become lulled into a false sense of security and feel less need to pay strict attention to traffic and potential disaster.
People talk too much while driving, begin speeding, become easily distracted, drive while tired or drunk or under the influence of drugs – and most stupid of all, talk on a cell phone while driving. It’s a case where the dangerous combination of familiarity, routine and disregard can lead to deadly situations.
Human factors are indicated as the biggest contributor to road crashes and fatalities, accounting for 77.5% of contributing factors. Vehicle factors (6%), and road and environmental factors (16.5%), make up the balance. Statistics show that 80% of the deaths on the country’s roads comprise adults and males between the ages of 19 and 34.
South Africa still boasts the highest number of drunk driving incidents worldwide. It seems humans effect the most driving disasters with regard to:
- reckless high-speed driving
- overtaking in the face of oncoming traffic
- driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- jaywalking
- hit and run accidents
- driver fatigue.
The pro’s and con’s of self-driving cars
So it seems that getting the human out of the car is a pretty good idea. We are only on the fringe of this brave new world and there are as many concerns as there are promising possibilities. The technology is still being developed and tested. Not only would self-driving cars remove the dangerous human factor, but there are several other benefits as well.
- As a self-driving car is actually a computer, it is hardly likely to be distracted by people talking.
- For the disabled and the elderly, driverless cars would prove a boon.
- While sitting in a driverless car, passengers can utilise the time for other things such as making calls, working on a laptop, reading, or putting on makeup.
- The computers in driverless cars will use complicated algorithms to determine appropriate stopping distance and distance from other vehicles, significantly reducing chances of accidents.
- If there are fewer accidents there will be significant cost savings across various aspects such as motor repairs, insurance, and healthcare costs associated with accidents.
- It is envisaged that self-driving cars in large numbers would communicate with one another, thus avoiding traffic jams and forming orderly ‘platoons’ which would improve traffic congestion.
However…
- If not accepted widely by many as soon as possible, the price will remain prohibitive. And if there are still people-driven cars out there, the danger for the driverless car remains the same. After all, no matter how much the computer can read in the traffic, it’s not going to read the mind of an idiot human who is about to do the unexpected.
- At a time when jobs are becoming scarcer, self-driving cars would be party to eliminating many more – such as the transportation industry, taxi’s, shuttles and private hire. Self-driving cars would no doubt be electric and so oil companies are going to take a knock as well.
- Riding in such a vehicle would require a fair amount of understanding of how it works. You would still be required to keep an eye on things and be prepared for any eventuality should anything go wrong. So education and training at a certain level would be needed with regard to the role the human passenger would have to play in the event that the technology fails.
- If there is an accident with a self-driving car, how would the legal aspects pan out? Who would be responsible if no one was driving? The car manufacturer? The owner?
Road Accidents – when you need legal assistance
As an experienced firm with impeccable standards, Simpsons has a personal yet highly professional approach to dealing with road accident victims – and specifically victims of drunk driving. We offer sound advice on how to proceed with both claiming recompense and processing your insurance claim – and we operate on a no win, no fee basis.
Find out more about us at: www.simpsons.co.za
