Drivers in Ontario may be interested in a new study about aggressive driving released by the University of Waterloo in Canada. The study looked at different types of bad driving behaviors that often lead to accidents. Data for the study came from insurance companies in Texas and Ontario that had clients’ vehicles equipped with on-board diagnostic devices.
esearchers used on-board diagnostic devices to determine four common bad driving behaviors. These behaviors included speeding, hard braking, hard cornering and hard accelerating. These behaviors were then compared with accident data to determine if there was a link between the poor driving behaviors and the likelihood of a car accident occurring.
Data showed that speeding was the strongest predictor of vehicle crashes. The other types of aggressive behavior did not show a strong link. Researchers want to use the data to help drivers understand the consequences of aggressive driving and emphasize that obeying the speed limit may help prevent accidents from occurring. Insurance companies may also be able to use on-board diagnostic devices when formulating the cost of insurance premiums. These behaviors could give insurance companies a better predictor of future accidents.
Those involved in a motor vehicle accident may be severely injured. These injuries could result in costly medical expenses, time spent off work during recovery, and pain and suffering. If negligent behavior caused the accident to occur, the driver may be responsible for damages to the injured parties. For example, a driver who was speeding might not have been able to slow down in time to obey a traffic signal, hitting a driver at the intersection. Because the driver didn’t obey speed limits, the driver would have behaved negligently. A personal injury lawyer may be able to file a civil suit against the driver. The driver and the driver’s insurance company might be required to pay medical and compensatory damages to the injured parties.
