What You Should Know about Self-driving Car Accidents
One of the goals of self-driving cars is to make roads safer. Unfortunately, the technology is not quite there yet. As more cars with self-driving functions hit the road, there has been an increase in self-driving car accidents. A car accident lawyer can help individuals injured in self-driving car accidents obtain the maximum settlement for their injuries.
At Reed & Terry, L.L.P., our attorneys offer consultations for individuals injured in self-driving car accidents in Sugar Land, TX, Katy, TX, Richmond, TX, and surrounding areas. If you have been involved in a self-driving car accident, we welcome you to schedule a consultation. In the meantime, here are a few things you should know about self-driving car accidents.
What Are Self-driving Cars?
Self-driving cars, also called autonomous vehicles, are cars that are able to drive with little or no human assistance.
The self-driving cars currently on the market are actually not completely self-driving. Instead, they have different levels of driver assistance. For example, some cars can parallel park themselves, others have collision braking, lane assistance, and adaptive cruise control.
It’s important to note that because today’s self-driving cars are not fully driverless, drivers are still required to pay attention while behind the wheel.
How Do Self-driving Car Accidents Happen?
Calling cars with driver assistance “self-driving” can give motorists a false sense of security when behind the wheel of a car marketed as self-driving. Drivers of current self-driving cars may believe they can take their attention off the road and away from driving. This is not the case and as a result accidents can happen.
Reports of accidents involving self-driving cars usually find that the person behind the wheel of the self-driving car was playing a game on their phone, watching a movie, or no one was behind the wheel.
Who Is Liable in a Self-driving Car Accident?
Because today’s self-driving cars require drivers to stay engaged and prepared to take over if self-driving functions don’t work properly, many self-driving car accidents are a result of human error or negligence.
Determining who is liable for a self-driving car accident often requires an investigation into what happened behind the wheel of the self-driving car. If the person operating the self-driving car was negligent, they may be held liable for injuries and other damages.
In other situations, self-driving cars may malfunction or have some defect that can be pinpointed as the cause of an accident. When this happens, the manufacturer of the self-driving car may be held liable.
Seeking Damages
If you have been injured in a self-driving car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and other damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.
Holding liable parties accountable is important when seeking damages in an accident involving a self-driving car. Determining liability in a self-driving car accident can be complicated. A car accident attorney can help.
Contact the Attorneys of Reed & Terry, L.L.P.
The attorneys of Reed & Terry, L.L.P. are standing by to help you with your car accident claim. To schedule a consultation, call our law firm at (281) 201-0988.