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NHTSA wants to get rid of auto safety regulations

On Behalf of | Nov 2, 2017 | Car Accidents |

Companies such as Ford, GM and Alphabet want to see legislation that will make it easier to put cars on the road with no human controls. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said on Oct. 27 that it is looking for input as to how it can eliminate unnecessary regulations. This may provide West Virginia residents with an opportunity to make their voices heard about this issue.

In contrast, auto safety groups are pushing for greater safeguards when it comes to self-driving vehicles. They have vowed to keep lobbying for changes that may provide those controls. Currently, there are 75 safety standards that automakers must abide by. However, most of them were created when it was taken for granted that humans would be operating those vehicles. While the NHTSA is looking into rules changes, it could take years to complete research needed before they could be implemented.

Both the House and Senate have passed or advanced legislation that would make it easier to put truly self-driving cars on the road. The House passed a bill in September 2017 that would allow 80,000 vehicles exempt from NHTSA rules to operate on American roads. If the Senate bill passes, it would require the NHTSA to write permanent rules related to self-driving cars in the next 10 years.

Individuals who are harmed in accidents involving drunk or other forms of negligent driving may experience serious injuries. This may require an injured victim to spend weeks or months in a hospital or undergoing rehabilitation. However, an injured victim may be entitled to compensation for medical bills and other damages such as lost wages or lost future earnings.