The very first cruise control configurations were invented in 1788 by James Watt and Matthew Boulton to help control steam engine. Fast-forward 157 years later and an american by the name of Ralph Teetor invented the first modern cruise control in 1945. The Chrysler Imperial became the first car to be fitted with a cruise control system in 1958.
The convenience of a cruise control system is often taken for granted. Without it, long road trips would be much more exhausting. American cars especially benefit – at least compared to European cars – due to highways being much longer and generally straighter than the roads in other countries. Factors like increasing traffic has made cruise control a little less applicable, but the reason why it is still installed in modern cars is because – often – most drivers simply don’t understand how to use it effectively.
When is it appropriate to use cruise control?
Cruise control is designed to be used on the highway only when traffic is moving at a consistent speed. For those long haul driving trips, cruise control serves as a great benefit to the driver. It helps to prevent leg fatigue and, for those who have a lead foot, is a great way to avoid speeding tickets.
Maintaining a consistent speed through cruise control can also help you save money on gas. Instead of feathering the gas pedal for several hours straight – which often means going faster in some stretches of the road while going slower in others – cruise control keeps your vehicle moving at a steady pace. One of the worst ways to spend gasoline is driving too fast, mainly due to wind resistance. After a certain threshold (usually past 65 miles per hour) wind resistance increases by 50 percent, making your car do twice as much work to maintain the same rate of heightening momentum.
Cruise control was put in place to make driving convenient for all of us. It’s important to know when to and when not to use it. Unfortunately, accidents do happen and when they do you will need an Ohio attorney on your side. Contact us online or give us a call at (888) 906-4943, we can connect you with an experienced attorney.