Of course, it does not help to shout at an inanimate object and, despite seeming to be smart in some ways, autonomous cars and other artificially intelligent technologies are, in fact, inanimate. According to figures released by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, that did not matter to two of the six people who have been involved in car accidents with an autonomous car over the past year or so, as they proceeded to shout at, and even hit, the car in question. While high emotions after a car accident are perhaps to be expected, common sense dictates that physically attacking a large metal object is only likely to result in you injuring yourself. In other words – we do not recommend it.
Would You Attack an Autonomous Vehicle after a Car Accident?
The answer to this question may be somewhat influenced by the fact that you are reading a blog and have not actually been involved in a car accident in the past few minutes but, really, that level of rage is more than slightly concerning. As road rage is one of the major causes of car accidents on Los Angeles roads, if you think you may attack a car, you should probably address your anger before your next drive.
For now, consider what you can learn from the stories of the two drivers who did give in to the robot car-focused rage:
- The first incident took place just two days into 2018 when an autonomous Chevy Bolt EV waited at a green light to allow pedestrians to cross. A man apparently ran into the street, shouted at the car, and damaged it by throwing his entire body against it. This was witnessed by the driver, who was inside the Chevy, although not controlling it
- Towards the end of January, a taxi driver exited his own car to walk towards an autonomous GM Cruise Bolt EV which had stopped behind him at traffic lights. The taxi driver proceeded to slap the front passenger window, scratching it in the process
No matter what your views on autonomous vehicles maybe, you are likely to agree that both tales seem to involve people acting ever so slightly irrationally. However, that is not to say that autonomous vehicles may not pose a genuine risk when involved in car accidents, or that you cannot have a claim against the human driver. Remember that, under current California law, a human driver must be in an autonomous vehicle, even when it is operating in driverless mode.
Do You Need a Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney?
If you have been involved in a car accident in Los Angeles, an experienced car crash attorney from the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg could be an essential player in your compensation claim. While other parties, including the other driver and their insurance company, may seem to be acting against you, you can rest assured that our Los Angeles car accident attorneys will act with your best interests in mind.
If you feel you could benefit from the legal expertise of a car accident attorney in California, call us today at 310-997-0904.
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