According to recent research by the Highway Loss Data Institute, crash avoidance systems appear to assist young drivers more than others.
In independent studies of Honda, Kia, and Subaru cars, HLDI discovered that crash avoidance systems are linked with greater decreases in the incidence of accident and property damage liability (PDL) claims for drivers under 25 years old than for drivers 25 and older. Read on to learn more. If you have been injured in a car accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
More about the study
HLDI analysts conducted separate studies of insurance claims for Honda, Kia, and Subaru vehicles, comparing vehicles equipped with the manufacturers’ crash avoidance packages against identical, unequipped models, to estimate how crash avoidance technologies affected crash rates for drivers of various ages. Then picked automobiles for which the existence or absence of optional accident-avoidance systems can be determined by the vehicle identification number or trim level, and they categorized the results by age using information about the insured drivers.
Crash avoidance systems vary by manufacturer, and features are packaged differently depending on the brand. However, lane departure warning and forward collision warning were included in all three packages tested. Automatic emergency braking was featured in two of the systems: Kia’s Drive Wise and Subaru’s EyeSight.
These systems monitor the road with cameras and other sensors, alerting the driver when the car is approaching an impediment or straying out of its designated lane. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) applies the brakes to avoid or reduce an accident if the driver fails to respond quickly enough to the warning. The technologies have been shown in research to assist avoid front-to-rear and run-off-road collisions, which are more prevalent among younger drivers.
Surprisingly, the Subaru and Kia packages with AEB and other technologies were linked to lower claim frequency reductions than Honda’s combination of forward collision warning and lane departure warning. However, the age trend was consistent across all three systems.
How age comes into play
Collision coverage protects the insured driver’s own vehicle against damage caused by a collision where the insured driver is at fault. Damage to other cars and property caused by insured drivers is covered by property damage liability policy. Under both coverages, claim frequency decreased higher for drivers under the age of 25 than for those aged 25 to 64 and 65 and over. The only exception was the incidence of collision claims with Honda’s crash avoidance systems, which had almost the same benefit for young drivers and drivers aged 25 to 64.
A couple of the findings for certain age groups and coverages were not statistically significant, and the findings for the youngest drivers were based on the smallest sample size. The accident-avoidance systems on all three cars may also be turned off, and the researchers had no means of knowing how often the different age groups utilized them.
Not matter your age, if you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you deserve compensation. Call Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas now at 909-982-0707 to request a free legal consultation.
