Some crash avoidance technologies reduce crash claims: report

Arlington, VA – Some crash avoidance technologies, such as automatic braking systems and adaptive headlights, have helped reduce the number of insurance crash claims, according to a report (.pdf file) from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute.

Researchers studied insurance crash claims for a variety of car models between each technology’s introduction and 2011. Among their findings for most car models:

• Vehicles with forward collision warnings that also automatically brake had 14 percent fewer property damage crash claims.
• Adaptive headlight technology, which adjusts headlight angles when turning, led to 10 percent fewer property damage crash claims.
• Blind spot detection, backup cameras and park assist technologies showed no statistically significant reduction in crash claims.

One advanced crash avoidance technology, lane departure warning systems, increased the number of crash claims slightly for most car models. The researchers reported that these findings were not statistically significant for most models, but speculated the technology is only effective when roadways have clear lane markings.