No, that is not the beginning of a bad joke. Or maybe it is.

Gov. Doug Ducey just made Arizona the center of testing for the next generation of autonomous vehicles. What does that mean for you?

Ducey signed an executive order last week that created the Institute for Automated Mobility. The institute promotes cooperation among state agencies, universities, and private industries to figure out all the ins and outs of safety for autonomous vehicles.

One of the goals of the executive order is to help the state adopt policies for their operation, including who is liable in case of accidents as well as what happens if a police officer pulls over one of these vehicles (if they do not stop, will there be a pursuit?).

If you will recall, Arizona has been at the center of attention when it comes to self-driving cars. Back in March, an autonomous Uber vehicle struck and killed a woman in Tempe, even though there was a driver inside to monitor the situation.

While the liability issue in that accident was clear (Uber car, Uber driver), the state needs to know what to do when a citizen can buy their own fully autonomous vehicle at a car lot.

Times Are Changing

We all know that vehicle accidents cause major harm. 2017 in Arizona had some high numbers when it comes to accidents:

  • 127,064 total crashes
  • 1,000 fatalities
  • 55,474 injuries

All too often, these accidents are caused by the negligence on the part of a driver. In other words, they are mostly preventable.

Distracted drivers, those who choose to text or watch videos on their phones, are a major danger to those in and around the roadway. In fact, they are just as dangerous as those who choose to drink and drive.

Now, though, we have more and more ridesharing services on the roadways and state regulations have yet to catch up. These vehicles are not as regularly inspected as most public transportation vehicles and it is not hard to become a ridesharing driver.

Is ridesharing safe?

Now, ridesharing services are moving into the food delivery business, meaning there will be more and more of these vehicles on the road.

As we move forward, autonomous vehicles will begin to roam, leaving us with so many questions about who is responsible when an accident happens.

What You Can Do

We recognize that times are changing, but we also want you to know what to do when accidents happen. The lines of liability are blurring, but that does not mean nobody should be held accountable when accidents happen.

Whether you are in a regular vehicle accident, one with a ridesharing vehicle, or with an autonomous vehicle, Lorona Mead will be by your side, fighting to get you the compensation you deserve.

When you need a car accident attorney in Phoenix, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 602-388-1025.