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  4.  | Automakers Must Make It Easier For Drivers To Follow 2-Second Rule

Automakers Must Make It Easier For Drivers To Follow 2-Second Rule

by | Apr 24, 2013 | Car Accidents

When you hear the “two-second rule” mentioned, you might think about the infamous rule declaring that food dropped on the floor is still safe to consume if you pick it up within two seconds. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is working hard to make drivers associate the two-second rule with something entirely different.

The longer time you take your eyes of the road, the greater the chance that you’ll have an accident. Researchers have discovered that two seconds is the time span when a motorist’s diverted eyes become especially deadly. LaHood is using this research to help automakers design vehicles that are less likely to fatally distract drivers.

New Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines are asking auto manufacturers to design vehicle features that discourage drivers from taking their eyes off the road for longer than 1.5 seconds at a time.

The guidelines allow for the features to allow for a series of short distractions, but not for longer than 12 seconds, total.

Automakers must “balance the innovation consumers want with the safety we all need,” commented LaHood.

Distracted driving killed 3,000 people and injured 387,000 during 2011, so we applaud LaHood’s efforts. However, as experienced Cincinnati car accident attorneys, we know that it is up to each individual driver to drive responsibly – not auto manufacturers. If people want to drive distracted, even the most carefully crafted technology won’t prevent them from doing so.

When a motorist drives negligently, recklessly or carelessly, they are liable for any injuries or death they cause. If you or a family member has been seriously harmed by a distracted driver, contact a skilled Lebanon auto accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights.

Source: CNN News, “‘Two Second’ Safety Guideline For Cars Of The Future,” Mike M. Ahlers, April 24, 2013