If you are involved in a self-driving car accident with an impaired driver, you may file a claim against the driver and the car company, depending on the circumstances of the crash. In such cases, you must have sufficient evidence to prove one or both of the parties’ negligence.
Read on to learn more about self-driving car accidents and how to receive compensation if you are involved in one.
How Do Self-Driving Cars Work?
A self-driving car is an autonomous vehicle that does not need a human driver to steer or pedal to function. Currently, there are few self-driving cars on the roads and highways. However, Tesla has developed several self-driving vehicles that can drive themselves in certain circumstances but still require drivers to pay attention to the road.
Currently, self-driving vehicles go through six phases of driver assistance technology innovation developed by The Society of Automotive Engineers, namely:
| Levels of vehicular autonomy | Function |
| Level 0: No Driving Automation | The driver executes all driving functions without technological assistance. |
| Level 1: Driver Assistance | The car can help the driver with simple tasks such as accelerating, braking, and steering. The vast majority of automobiles on the road today fall into this group. |
| Level 2: Partial Driving Automation | The vehicle has advanced driver assistance systems that can manage steering, accelerating and decelerating. Because a human sits in the driver’s seat and can take control of the car at any time, automation falls short of self-driving. |
| Level 3: Conditional Driving Automation | Level 3 vehicles are capable of “environmental detection” and can make decisions for themselves, like accelerating past a slow-moving vehicle. However, they still require human intervention. If the system is unable to complete the task, the driver must remain awake and ready to take charge. |
| Level 4:High Driving Automation | If something goes wrong or there is a system failure, Level 4 cars can intervene in safety driving efforts.
These cars typically don’t need to interact with people. Nevertheless, a person can still manually overrule. |
| Level 5: Full Driving Automation | In all circumstances and scenarios, the car is totally autonomous. Fully autonomous vehicles are in the testing process, but none are yet available to the general public. |
According to the ABI Research Forecast, around 8 million driverless or semi-autonomous vehicles will be on the road by 2025.
How Often Do Self-Car Accidents Happen?
While self-driving cars should assist the driver when traveling on roads, there are a number of self-driving car accidents that occur in California, including Riverside. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 400 crashes in the United States involved vehicles equipped with modern driver-assistance technology within ten months.
This year, it was discovered that most self-car accidents lead to hit-and-run crashes, especially in San Francisco. Although existing self-driving technology might reduce accidents by about 34%, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 2020 studied about 5,000 accident reports and discovered that autonomous vehicles still struggle with preventing, planning, choosing, and execution-related driving errors.
Due to the significant number of self-driving car accidents, some consumers are skeptical about the autonomous market. According to the American Automobile Association’s annual autonomous vehicle poll in 2020, only 12% of the respondents would trust riding in a self-driving car.
Remember that advanced driver assistance systems allow cars to steer, brake, and accelerate independently, but drivers must always be on guard and prepared to take over at any moment.
Who is Responsible for a Riverside Car Accident if the Vehicle Was on Autopilot?
If you are involved in a riverside car accident with an autopilot vehicle, either the driver, the vehicle manufacturer, or both can be held liable for the damages of the crash.
The driver was responsible for the Riverside car accident.
With the advancements of autonomous vehicles in the market, all self-driving cars today still require human operators, who should be attentive and ready to retake command if needed. That said, a driver may be held accountable for a collision if they were negligent and failed to take action to avoid it.
If the driver committed negligent actions, such as speeding or distracted driving, their actions might have contributed to the crash, making them liable for the accident.
Generally, negligence is established through the following:
- The driver was responsible for ensuring all road users’ safety.
- They failed to meet this duty.
- The breach caused an accident.
- The crash resulted in injuries and other damages.
Additionally, if they were behind the wheel while the vehicle was on autopilot and failed to control the car despite a foreseeable danger, they may also be accountable for the accident expenses.
The vehicle manufacturer caused the crash.
A vehicle manufacturer can sometimes be liable for a self-driving accident. This is especially true if the crash results from a defective product or faulty part.
For instance, you were involved in a Riverside car accident with an autopilot vehicle. During the investigation, it was discovered that the driver of the autonomous car tried to hit the brakes as soon as they saw you. However, the brakes on their vehicle did not function properly. In such circumstances, the vehicle manufacturer should shoulder the damage costs of the collision.
In most accidents involving two or more vehicles, one or more drivers are liable for the accident. However, if a defective product causes your self-driving accident, this might be more challenging to prove. Hiring a Riverside accident attorney might be the best way to collect evidence and establish the car company’s liability.
Can an Impaired Driver be Liable for a Self-Driving Car Accident in Riverside?
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol poses significant risks to drivers and other road users. In the United States, impaired drivers were responsible for about 31% of all traffic crash fatalities. 13,384 individuals died in these avoidable collisions in 2021.
Some impaired drivers rely on autonomous vehicles to maneuver their cars, thinking this can save them from auto crashes. However, while advanced driver assistance technologies enable automobiles to steer, brake, and accelerate independently, drivers are still expected to remain vigilant and ready to take control of the vehicle at any time.
Under California law, when a driver’s ability or alertness is compromised or is likely to be compromised due to fatigue, illness, or any other reason, they aren’t permitted to operate any vehicle.
With this, if an impaired driver was behind the steering wheel of a self-driving car and hit you, they may be liable for the accident’s damages. However, there are cases where you can also pursue a claim against the vehicle manufacturer.
This is why hiring a self-driving car accident lawyer who can investigate your crash and identify the negligent party responsible for the collision is essential.
What Damages Can I Include in My Self-Driving Car Accident Settlement?
The amount of damages and how they affect the lives of the accident victims will often determine how much compensation you may claim. In personal injury cases, there are three main types of damages, namely:
Economic damages are monetary losses that can be demonstrated using invoices, receipts, or pay stubs. The following are a few examples of economic damages:
- medical expenses,
- vehicle replacement or repair costs,
- lost income,
- future income loss, and
- out-of-pocket expenses.
A severe auto collision may also cause catastrophic injuries, including mental anguish. This falls under non-economic damages or non-financial losses. Other non-monetary losses include the following:
- pain and suffering,
- emotional distress,
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,
- loss of love and companionship, and others.
In some instances, the court may award punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. If the court finds that the other party was particularly careless or malicious, you may be awarded more money to penalize your opponent.
While all sorts of damages can be included in your case, how would you assess non-monetary losses? Riverside car accident lawyers will investigate the facts of the case, estimate the potential damages to include in your compensation, and fight for the highest possible settlement for your vehicle accident claim.
Do I Need a Riverside Accident Lawyer When Proving a Self-Driving Car Crash?
A car accident involving a negligent driver may be easier to prove because their actions directly caused it. On the other hand, it may be more challenging to file a claim against a self-driving vehicle manufacturer. They will often use their resources to intimidate you into receiving a reduced settlement.
Sometimes, they may dismiss the claim, denying their liability and blaming the other driver instead. In such an instance, a Riverside car accident attorney can assess the facts of your claim and use their knowledge and experience to defend it
A self-driving car accident lawyer can do the following to win your case:
- Gather the necessary proof to support your claim.
- Establish the negligent party’s liability.
- Determine the overall damage.
- Communicate with insurance firms.
- If necessary, proceed to a trial.
Jacoby & Meyers has experienced Riverside car accident lawyers who can examine the facts of your case and advise you on the best legal alternatives available. Call us at 800-500-0000 for a free consultation and legal guidance right away.
Jacoby and Meyers. Because You Deserve Justice.
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