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The motor vehicle crash is the main cause of death and destruction in children and adolescents. One of the major psychological consequences to those who survive a motor vehicle crash (MVC) is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This discussion considers the future of research in this field that may also involve the use of artificial intelligence in control of motor vehicles that will take human error out of motor vehicle operation. It is important to consider all means in lowering the death and destruction faced by our children and adolescents on the killing fields of the roads in the United States and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine which distracted driving laws were associated with decreased texting while driving among U.S. teenage drivers.Methods: Data from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey were merged with states' distracted driving legislation. The prevalence of texting while driving was assessed for different laws using log-binomial regression.Results: Approximately 39.0% of students reported texting while driving at least once in the 30 days before survey. Compared to states with universal texting bans along with young driver all cellphone bans, the adjusted ratio of texting while driving was 0.94 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-1.16) in states with no bans, 1.33 (95% CI, 1.11-1.58) for young driver bans only, 1.24 (95% CI, 1.00-1.52) in states with bans for young drivers but no young driver all cellphone bans, and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.66-1.19) in states with universal texting bans. The prevalence of texting was 28% less in states with delays of full licensure for texting offenses (prevalence ratio = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59-0.88).Conclusions: Universal texting bans along with young driver all cellphone bans may be more effective in reducing texting while driving. Delays of full licensure may dissuade young drivers from texting and driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rear-end collisions account for almost 30% of automotive crashes. Rear-end collision avoidance systems (RECASs) may offer a promising approach to help drivers avoid these crashes. Two experiments performed using a high-fidelity motion-based driving simulator examined driver responses to evaluate the efficacy of a RECAS. The first experiment showed that early warnings helped distracted drivers react more quickly--and thereby avoid more collisions--than did late warnings or no warnings. Compared with the no-warning condition, an early RECAS warning reduced the number of collisions by 80.7%. Assuming collision severity is proportional to kinetic energy, the early warning reduced collision severity by 96.5%. In contrast, the late warning reduced collisions by 50.0% and the corresponding severity by 87.5%. The second experiment showed that RECAS benefits even undistracted drivers. Analysis of the braking process showed that warnings provide a potential safety benefit by reducing the time required for drivers to release the accelerator. Warnings do not, however, speed application of the brake, increase maximum deceleration, or affect mean deceleration. These results provide the basis for a computational model of driver performance that was used to extrapolate the findings and identify the most promising parameter settings. Potential applications of these results include methods for evaluating collision warning systems, algorithm design guidance, and driver performance model input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the period 1994-2005 in the USA, suicides were less likely to be organ donors than were victims of homicide and motor vehicle accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]