It has long been known that a person who is driving while he or she is very tired can cause serious accidents. A driver can fall asleep or be extremely inattentive while fatigued. It is encouraged that any New Jersey driver who feels fatigued to stop driving for the safety of everyone on the road.

While reports vary, some state that drivers who are drowsy account for about 30% of car accidents. This number is quite alarming, especially when it is also reported that 60% of adults have admitted to driving while fatigued.

A driver who is not completely alert cannot react to certain situations in the same way an attentive driver can. They can veer off the road or cross a center line without proper correction and hit another car or damage property.

Car manufacturers are attempting to solve this problem. While it does not yet replace or perfectly mimic human behavior, a developing technology is attempting to assist these drowsy drivers in order to prevent catastrophic injuries.

The system has been referred to as "lane-keeping" or "lane-assist" technology. Recently, Ford Motor Company announced their latest launch of the technology. Essentially, the product involves a rear-view camera that monitors the lane position of a car.

When the camera senses a car drifting over the lane lines while there is no turn signal is on, the steering wheel vibrates. This is intended to alert the driver of the drifting and hopefully the driver will correct the behavior.

Despite the many advances and improvements in the system, there are still some flaws that need evaluation. In some lighting and road conditions, the camera cannot properly sense the lane markings. When the camera cannot sense the lane markings, the system remains completely inactive.

The technology is interesting, though it is not perfect. The ultimate responsibility of driving safely remains on the driver of a car. Car accidents are a leading cause of death and injury for all age groups. Those who are the victim of an accident involving a drowsy driver may want to seek financial compensation for any physical and property damage.

Source: The New York Times, "Trying to Nudge Drowsy Drivers," Randall Stross, Jan. 21, 2012