Could Autonomous Vehicles be the End of Distracted Driving?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) attributes around 25% of police-reported car accidents to distracted driving. Drivers who take their eyes off the road to pay attention to passengers, cell phones, car radios or their cups of coffee are responsible for 16% of traffic fatalities, and cost society an estimated $230 billion each year.

Car manufacturers have been working on a new project in hopes of taking human error out of the driving equation — the driver-less car.

General Motors, BMW, VW, Audi and others are currently testing self-driving cars. Even Google, Inc. has received a patent on autonomous vehicle technology, and has been developing and testing a self-driving Toyota Prius. These vehicles are designed to respond to other traffic, observe traffic laws, and comply with the rules of the road in order to keep travelers safe.

This infographic illustrates the impact autonomous vehicles could have on driver safety. It also provides an overview of legislation in states like Nevada, Florida, and Hawaii, as well as the technology that makes them possible.