Self-driving cars come with the latest wave of technology. Their technology is intended to eliminate the risk of human error that commonly leads to car accidents. But even still, last year the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that approximately 392 car accidents with self-driving cars occurs, which included five individuals being killed and six individuals being seriously injured. Continue reading to learn why self-driving car accidents still commonly occur and how an experienced Landover auto accident lawyer at The Law Office of Conrad W. Judy III, LLC can help you in this situation.
What are the frequent causes of self-driving car accidents?
For decades, automotive engineers have developed driver-assistance technology to eliminate the risk of human error, whether it be cruise control technology, emergency brake systems, backup cameras, or otherwise. And though they have developed self-driving cars with the same reasoning in mind, human error is still the most frequent cause of these car accidents. Examples of such human error include, but are not limited to, the following:
- A car manufacturer fails to check for faulty car parts before sending cars to dealerships.
- A car manufacturer fails to recall cars with faulty car parts.
- A technology designer fails to detect glitches in the driver-assistance technology.
- A technology designer fails to release software updates for the driver-assistance technology.
- A car operator fails to stay alert while using the self-driving feature (i.e., driving while distracted).
- A car operator fails to sit behind the wheel while using the self-driving feature (i.e., sitting in the passenger seat or back seat).
- A car operator fails to take control of the vehicle when necessary (i.e., there are unexpected outside stimuli that the driver-assistance technology cannot anticipate).
What is the statute of limitations for a car accident claim in the state of Maryland?
With self-driving cars being a fairly new concept, this is still uncharted territory for insurance companies. And so, if you are involved in an accident with a self-driving car, it is more than likely that you will not receive the full amount of financial compensation that you require to heal from the at-fault party’s insurance company. If so, then you must try to recover your remaining damages with a personal injury claim.
If you decide to pursue this legal route, then you must be fully aware of the statute of limitations in place for car accident claims in the state of Maryland. This deadline expires at generally three years from the date of a car accident. So, if you wait any longer than these three years, you may be permanently barred from suing. Reach out to a skilled Landover, Maryland personal injury lawyer as soon as possible for assistance in meeting this deadline. We look forward to hearing from you.
