When it comes to serious car accidents, there are a number of negligent behaviors that can cause a collision. Some of the most serious include distracted, drunk and drowsy driving. While all three of them are dangerous, one of them combines the worst aspects of them all. Drowsy driving combines the symptoms of drunk driving with the frequency of distracted driving and failure of many drivers to acknowledge the danger.

Some drivers do not realize when they are too tired to safely drive or think that they can make it just a bit further with the aid of caffeine or cold air. For drivers such as these, there is a new technology that will help them nudge them awake when they begin to drift in their lanes. The Ford Motor Company announced that the new technology will be available as an option in the 2013 models of the Ford Fusion and Ford Explorer.

Cameras mounted on the back of the rearview mirror are used to detect the lane markings on each side of the car. When the system senses that the car is traveling too close to the edges of the lane, the steering wheel vibrates. The vibration not only alerts the driver when he is too close to the lane but will hopefully wake up a driver beginning to close his or her eyes. The system is supposedly tuned to highways because it will not become activated until the car is moving at a speed greater than 40 mph.

Not everyone is ready to place their trust in the safety of the device. The deputy director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spoke for the agency when he said "we believe additional evaluation and research about lane-keeping systems is needed before we can decide whether we should recommend it to the public."

One of the problems with the lane technology is that the cameras do not work in every scenario. When there are sharp curves, inclement weather or even direct sunlight, the lane markings are not always visible to the cameras. Other issues arise such as the fear that some drivers may rely on the device instead of paying attention or questions about liability when a driver using the technology strikes another car. The surefire way for drivers to avoid the negligent behavior and an injury causing accident is to pull their vehicle over.

Source: The New York Times, "Trying to Nudge Drowsy Drivers," Randall Stross, Jan. 21, 2012