Have you picked up your mail today?
Did you get a speeding ticket? Have you been traveling lately and got a toll bill in the post? Yeah? Welcome to modern traffic tech. Is Big Brother watching? It can feel intrusive when you get a ticket you were not expecting. No chance to talk your way out of it or even explain that you didn’t realize you had broken any law!
It stinks, but the law’s the law, right? And these moves to eliminate human interaction make it all feel very impersonal, although less stressful in a way, too.
Legally, there was always a pledge to drive responsibly and obey the laws, but so often you could get away with a mistake. Getting caught was always the risk. These technological advances are making drivers more responsible, but they have their pros and cons.
Technology has made things more efficient, lowered costs for personnel, and allows drivers to drive more safely, more economically, and to really respect that driving is a privilege and not a right.
Vehicle Control
Adaptive cruise control (ACC), auto correction, slowing you down automatically if the speed of traffic slows…it was all really annoying to be honest.
I learned to drive the ‘old school’ way when there was nothing but you, your common sense, fast reflexes, and maybe cruise control for a long trip. You always were in control of the vehicle, and on occasion, you would be thinking, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a thing that let you know how close to the line you were, you know, that sort of thing.
Obviously, the driver is always responsible legally for the control of a vehicle, but these new little corrections to your driving don’t make you feel you are totally in control, at least not me.
If you’re distracted easily, they might be very useful, but what worries me is when we get complacent and start relying on these automations, which makes me nervous. ‘Automation Complacency’, does this shove us into a legal grey area?
No matter what automations your car has, you are still the driver, and fault will lie with you for following too close, speeding, or maybe you were distracted, or there was a mechanical failure.
Actually, fault does not really change at all; the accident was either due to those things above, or maybe the person in front of you stopped suddenly, brake lights were out, or they were driving recklessly.
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) & Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
These options are becoming standard in safety ratings on cars, and there may be some impact on insurance premiums as a result.
This is where the little changes in the driver’s responsibility come into effect as well.
It’ll be your responsibility to ensure these sensors are cleaned and working, just as it is up to you to maintain your tire pressure, make sure your lights are all in working order, and to add to the long list of safety maintenance for you to ensure it is done on a yearly basis.
Connectivity and Data Logs
If your car has the modern technology of data logging and constantly transmits and stores data (like a black box on an airplane), it’ll keep data like speed, braking, and steering.
This data, if available, can be used as evidence in an accident investigation of liability or will be used by your insurer for a usage-based insurance price.
Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE)
These automations are everywhere: Red-light cameras, speed cameras (fixed & mobile), school bus cameras, toll violator cameras.
As mentioned before, there is no longer a person there to witness the infraction, and you get the ticket in the mail. Some think that they can ignore these notices or tickets, but they would be wrong. These systems have been proven to promote safer roads, reduce violations, and save lives.
They’re publicly backed, data-driven systems that are enforced and here to stay. The legal process for challenging these automated tickets is very different from fighting a traditional citation.
The rules of evidence, response deadlines, and hearing procedures are particular and vary by jurisdiction/state.
Here’s a quick example:
In Maryland, challenging a speed or red-light camera citation involves strict adherence to state and local laws, and the standards for a successful defense are very technical and complex. Trusted representation for Maryland traffic issues should be called in for advice because, without a human witness, the process is very technical, and they can help you win these cases because they will know which laws work in your favor, if there are any loopholes, etc., etc. If you go to a lawyer who specializes in traffic laws, you’ll likely have an even better case on your hands.
Of course, if you’re in a state such as Texas, you won’t have to worry that much because lots of cities no longer use red-light cameras at all, plus there’s an imposed limitation on automated enforcement. Even if a camera citation is used, the rules are MUCH lighter, and the ticket (most often) won’t result in a criminal penalty.
So do take that into account when driving, or ‘where you’re driving’ is a better fit.
Conclusion
Modern technology will be something we all need to get used to, so do some reading, find out what your new responsibilities are in your state or locality, and enjoy these do-dads for what they are, but always remember, they are not responsible for the driving; help aid the driver when they need a little nudge.
Safety first, Big Brother will be watching if your hands are on the wheel, at least til those self-driving cars become popular in the coming years.
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