Cars Are Getting Safer But America's Roads Are As Dangerous As Ever

These figures follow the US Department of Transportation's National Roadway Safety Strategy, a plan to address safety issues by providing safer roads, vehicles, speeds, and superior post-crash care.

"This is a national crisis. We cannot and must not accept these deaths as an inevitable part of everyday life," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "The good news is we now have a strategy, as well as the resources and programs to deliver it, thanks to the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The National Roadway Safety Strategy is America's first-ever national, comprehensive plan to significantly reduce deaths and injuries on our roads."

Despite intelligent systems, road safety still remains a problem. Recently, the AAA tested how effective driver monitoring systems are. Several vehicles were sent down the same stretch of road and the results were nothing short of terrifying. "Even after issuing multiple warnings of inattentive driving, both systems failed to disable the semi-autonomous features and force the driver to take the wheel and pay attention," said the AAA.

The IIHS' latest study into pedestrian detection showed these systems are ineffective in the dark, with some of the test vehicles failing to register a dummy pedestrian at night. What's more, the technology didn't reduce the likelihood of a pedestrian incident at speeds of 50 mph. As vehicles become smarter, drivers are, perhaps, becoming increasingly reliant on the cars they drive and, in turn, not being as vigilant as they should be.

While the life-saving technology is beneficial, there's a great chance motorists are shrouded in a false sense of confidence when behind the wheel, relying on vehicle safety systems to protect them and other road users. This could potentially lead to horrific results, as seen recently when an autopilot-equipped Tesla sped through a red light and killed two innocent people. While carmakers have a responsibility to continue developing safety technology to work flawlessly, consumers have an equally large responsibility - to remain vigilant and pay attention when behind the wheel.