Drowsy driving is a serious problem in New Jersey and results in many deaths and injuries every year. A technology company has developed a wearable device that the company claims can help drivers to stay awake when they are tired. The device reportedly can detect when a driver is starting to doze off and shock the driver to keep him or her awake. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that drowsy driving causes thousands of fatal accidents each year around the U.S. The founder of Creative Mode began researching the dangers of drowsy driving after his friend fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a tree, breaking his collarbone.
The company created a device that it named Steer. The device is worn on the wrist and contains sensors to detect changes in sweat secretion and heart rate, which are indicators that people are becoming drowsy.
The device records the wearer’s baseline heart rate and sweat secretion levels when the driver first puts it on. If the heart beat slows by 10 beats per minute and the sweat secretions decrease by one unit, the device vibrates. If the driver’s heart rate slows by another three heartbeats per minute, then the device will gently shock the driver to keep him or her awake. The device has generated significant interest on Kickstarter and currently has more than 100 backers.
With these types of technological advances, the number of car accidents will hopefully fall. In the meantime, however, people who are injured in car accidents that are caused by drowsy drivers might want to have legal assistance when seeking compensation for medical bills and other losses.