In recent years, driverless cars have become all the rage, especially in California. While these vehicles offer a glimpse into the future and give people a better sense of freedom, they also pose significant dangers. Self-driving vehicles can increase the risk of road accidents.
Are driverless cars safe?
Although driverless cars are often touted as being safer due to being equipped with numerous safety features, they are dangerous. Self-driving cars have a higher rate of road accidents than cars driven by people. At the same time, when a self-driving car has an accident, the personal injury suffered by a victim can be less serious by comparison.
Self-driving cars and a false sense of security
The concept of autonomous cars is that because these vehicles don’t have a human driver, they are safer than regular cars. However, the truth is that no self-driving car is actually driverless. They require a person riding inside to be alert at all times so that they can correct a potential mistake while the vehicle is moving. Additionally, most accidents involving driverless cars occur when the person is distracted. Sadly, it can lead to a serious personal injury if a pedestrian or someone in another vehicle is involved in an accident with the car. In the worst situations, fatalities can even occur.
Self-driving cars have a higher risk of catching on fire
Another potential danger of driverless vehicles is that they have a higher risk of catching on fire. This is due to them being powered by lithium-ion batteries, which are known to be very combustible. A person who is inside the vehicle at the time of such a disaster can suffer serious second- or even third-degree burns or even be killed.
The National Transportation Safety Board has reported that self-driving cars are far more likely to combust if a crash causes the battery to be damaged. Even if it’s possible to escape the vehicle if it catches on fire, there are still other risks such as toxic gases and projectiles that can go flying and cause injuries.
