Automakers Looking to Develop Technology to Decrease Heart Attack Related Accidents

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study finds that diabetics and heart attacks are behind more than 30% of serious accidents. Ford and other automakers are currently working on medical monitoring systems that could help decrease the chances of an accident by monitoring the heart rate of the driver and forcing the vehicle to pull over and contact 911 if significant changes are found.

A medical emergency might be unavoidable. When you’re operating a car, your full focus needs to be on the road in front of you. But what happens if you develop the symptoms of a serious medical problem like a heart attack? Up to 1.3% of all crashes are precipitated by a medical emergency reported by the driver. While Ford shares that this technology could be up to ten years in the future, it could prove important for allowing people to get medical help and minimizing the chances of a multiple car pileup.

Heart issues, in particular, are especially problematic in terms of car accidents because a person may not even realize they are having a heart attack and may lose consciousness and slam into other vehicles. This could cause severe injuries or fatalities for other people in addition to putting the victim of the medical emergency at risk as well. The medical monitoring systems being developed now would pull the car over and contact 911, giving the driver a better chance of avoiding the serious consequences of a catastrophic medical incident and accident. If you have already been involved in an accident that you believe was at least partially caused by a medical emergency, this information is important to share with your personal injury attorney. ‘

Do not hesitate to reach out and get help from a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer who can help you manage any legal claims tied to such a problem. If you’ve been involved in an accident and are having problems with your insurance company after the fact, you shouldn’t stuck trying to sort through these issues when healing should be at the forefront. Having a lawyer who understands personal injury law and insurance issues can help you avoid the challenges.