Driving simulators are being used to train drivers, including teen drivers, bus drivers, and truck drivers. In some cases, simulators are used for initial training and in other cases they are used to monitor driving habits or to improve driving skills following an accident or reported incident. Many scenarios can be presented, including:
- turning
- mirror usage
- changing lanes
- limited visibility conditions
- traffic signs and signals
- pedestrian crossing situations
- freeway driving
- rural roads
- mountain driving
- crash avoidance maneuvers
Driving Simulator Training is Effective because:
- it is a stimulating way to work on driving skills
- it is focused, relevant learning
- it provides immediate feedback to reinforce safe driving behavior
- it immediately identifies weaknesses in driving behavior
- it reduces risk of accidents while learning
Simulator training combines audio instruction with high-tech tools, allowing for skills to be learned on the simulator and transferred to real world driving. A simulator allows drivers to gain important insight and experience in potentially hazardous situations. Simulators can also measure decision-making skills, scanning abilities, and reaction times of the trainee as they maneuver through various driving situations.
Trucking firms that have implemented simulator training and monitors have seen a significant reduction in accidents and accident avoidance maneuvers. Many insurance companies offer lower insurance rates to companies that employ the use of simulators and drive cams.
This information is provided as a service of TSR Injury Law, a personal injury law firm serving Minneapolis, St. Paul and the entire state of Minnesota. Our partners are skilled litigators and Minnesota Super Lawyers with years of experience handling all types of accident injuries. For more information call 612-362-0000 or submit a comment.
Governor Pawlenty signed the Minnesota Good Faith Law on April 18, 2008. It sets guidelines for insurance companies’ standard of conduct when settling no fault (NF), underinsured (UIM), and uninsured (UM) policy claims. These are claims filed against your own insurance company. The new law is fairly straight forward. It requires insurers to have a reasonable cause for denying a claim by its insured. How judges interpret and rule on this law is yet to be seen. The law became effective August 1, 2008 and cases governed by the good faith law are just now making their way to court.
Toyota Motor North America, Inc. issued a recall February 9th on 2010 models of the popular Toyota Camry due to defective design that could affect the braking system. The power steering hose is too short, allowing it to rub on the brake tube — potentially perforating the brake tube. If the brake tube is perforated, it will allow brake fluid to leak and impact braking performance increasing the risk of a crash. 
BMW of North America, LLC issued a recall January 22nd on 2010 models of BMW X5 and X6 for poorly bonded windshields. In the upper right area of the windshield, bonding may be insufficient for approximately 50 cm. In the event of a rollover, the stability of the roof may be compromised, allowing the roof to cave and increasing risk of injuries. 
More than two million people are the victims of a car accident injury each year in the United States. The majority of car accidents, resulting in car accident injury, are due to negligence on the part of one or both of the drivers. Negligence is defined as failure to exercise a degree of care that is necessary in order to prevent damage or car accident injury.
Honda Motor Company has issued a recall on 438,000 cars worldwide due to faulty airbags. The recall comes less than two weeks after another Honda recall for 646,000 due to a faulty window switch. And in November 2008 and June 2009 Honda recalled 510,000 vehicles for airbag problems.
Negligence is defined as failure to exercise a degree of care that, in the circumstances, the law requires for the protection of other persons that may be injuriously affected by the lack of such care.
There is a third major Toyota recall. Toyota Motor Corporation is recalling 437,000 of its flagship Prius and other hybrid cars for braking problems. The recall is on all 2010 Prius hybrids (133,000) and Lexus HS 250h (14,500) vehicles. 
Approximately 40,000 people are killed in fatal car accidents each year in the United States, with about 40 percent of the fatal crashes being alcohol-related. That means a person dies in a car accident every 12 minutes. The leading cause of death for people between 2 and 34 years old is motor vehicle crashes.