The Detroit News reported that a number of states' transportation departments are looking into drone technology to inspect bridges, monitor traffic, and even to clear car accidents. Michigan, is one of the states, along side Minnesota, Vermont, and Massachusetts, testing the use of drones for transportation purposes. In fact, to date, 33 states in total have considered the idea.
One of the biggest positive influences drones could have is on bridge inspections. A typical bridge inspection costs over $4.5 thousand. However, the same inspection can be done with a drone for about $250. The savings would be huge for states with multitude of bridges, such as Michigan, which has an abundance of rivers and lakes. Michigan also has an infrastructure system that is not doing spectacularly well, and saving money on inspecting these bridges would be a savior for overall costs. This lower cost in bridge inspection may even add up in time and create room in the budget, making way for a number of new bridges to be built.
Drones and other technologies are beginning to make their way into the public sector, and with the general knowledge of their existence, more and more people are using this technology to save money and to create safer environments. The usage of drones could save transportation departments hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that's just for the inspection of bridges.
If these departments can learn how to use these drones in other ways, such as traffic control or clearing car accidents, there would be even more savings. This leaves more money for these departments to do their actual jobs, keeping our transportation systems safe.
Fixing roads, bridges, and other transportation aspects is an expensive job, and with this extra money to spend on roads, drivers can expect a safer driving experience. Not only would this create a safer driving experience but it would save drivers. Potholes and other infrastructure faults cost drivers hundreds of dollars every year. Blown out tires, alignment issues, and other issues add up to cost drivers millions of dollars annually. If these infrastructure issues are fixed, in turn, this money will not be spent on the problems the infrastructure issues once caused.
Although technology is making it safer and cheaper for drivers to be on the road, accidents do still happen. If you or someone you know has been in an accident due to an infrastructure issue, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our attorneys are highly experienced in handling all types of auto injury cases, including car crashes and motorcycle collisons. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.