There has been no shortage of reports predicting the fate of the insurance industry once driverless cars become a reality. Mississippi residents may be familiar with some of the dire predictions: A 2016 Morgan Stanley report estimates that with no drivers needing car insurance, the industry will dwindle by 80 percent by the year 2040.

A more recent report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance paints a different picture, though: not one of sudden declines in revenue but rather one of gradual shifts as new revenue sources open up. Who pays for a policy will change with parts manufacturers and technologies companies being especially likely to need coverage.

The frequency of accidents involving autonomous cars shows that insurance won’t disappear. The technology in semi-autonomous vehicles, such as sensors and bumper cameras, is expensive, so even minor fender benders will raise the average cost of repairs.

Insurance companies that are quickest to adapt to the changes will have plenty of opportunity for excelling. They could provide cyber insurance, for example, to protect against cars getting hacked.

Before driverless cars become the norm, drivers will likely use their autonomous features only part of the time, such as when parking or faced with traffic jams. This transitional stage could allow insurers to cover both drivers and their cars.

As long as a driver is insured, his or her insurance company will have to face auto accident claims. Victims of another’s negligence may wish to file these claims in order to be compensated for their losses, including medical bills and vehicle damage. A lawyer might assist by hiring third parties to gather proof, negotiating for a settlement out of court and litigating if one cannot be agreed upon. It all begins with the case evaluation where any negligence on the victim’s part is factored into the potential amount.

Though studies on the effect of drugs on driver performance are limited by certain methodological flaws, one thing is clear: drugs, though their effect may be different from driver to driver, can lead to impairment and increase crash risk. Marijuana, for example, is estimated to increase it by 25 to 35 percent. Mississippi residents should know about a study from the Governors Highway Safety Association that probes the link between drug use and fatal car crashes.

More specifically, the GHSA studied the records of fatal car crashes in 2016 and found that of all those drivers who were fatally injured, 44 percent tested positive for drugs. Some things should be kept in mind: not every driver in a crash is tested, and no national drug-testing standard exists, so the results are not meant to be entirely accurate. The number is a jump from 10 years ago, though, where 28 percent of drivers tested positive.

Among those who tested positive in 2016, 38 percent had marijuana in their system, 16 percent had opioids and 4 percent combined the two. 49 percent combined drugs with alcohol. The GHSA states that separating drug- and alcohol-related impairment is a bad idea. For its part, it has partnered with the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility to offer grant programs for officers. These provide training on signs of impairment.

Victims of auto accidents who discover that the other driver was impaired by drugs or alcohol may benefit from consulting with a lawyer about filing a claim. If successful, the claim could reimburse victims for medical expenses, vehicle repair costs, lost wages and whatever else is applicable. The lawyer might build up the case with the testimony of drug experts before proceeding to negotiations, and if the auto insurance company refuses to pay out, the lawyer may assist with litigation.

There are more large trucks than ever on the road, and for Mississippi drivers, this can be a serious safety concern. When a large truck is involved in a collision, the consequences can be severe for the other pedestrians or vehicles involved, especially given the mass and weight of semi-trucks and 18-wheelers. The risk of an accident is significantly increased when a truck driver takes the road outside of their mandated hours of service, because drivers who have been on the road for too long can become fatigued.

When it comes to driving, truck driver fatigue is not just a bit of extra sleepiness; it can have effects akin to those of drunk or otherwise intoxicated driving. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration classifies crashes caused by fatigue in the same category as those caused by drivers operating their vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs. All of these crashes are considered to be caused by impaired driving. Of the 157 fatal truck accidents involving impaired driving in 2016, 70 – nearly half – involved fatigued truck drivers.

Federal law currently limits truck drivers to 14 consecutive hours of service. However, hours of service violations are some of the more common serious citations that truck drivers receive. When a truck driver is found to violate the hours of service rules, they can be ticketed and fined. In addition, they will be ordered to pull off the road for their mandatory rest. Federal rules also require the use of electronic devices that monitor the amount of time a truck spends in motion.

People who have been involved in a truck accident may experience life-changing injuries as well as time away from work and costly medical bills. A personal injury attorney might be able to help people injured in a crash caused by another’s negligent, distracted or fatigued driving to seek compensation for their damages.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has just released a data drill-down report that may be of interest to drivers in Mississippi, especially operators of large commercial vehicles. Entitled "2016 Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts," the report shows that the year in question saw a 3 percent rise in the number of fatal large-truck collisions — 4,213 compared to the previous year’s 4,074.

These resulted in a total of 4,317 fatalities, which was 223 more than in 2015. At the same time, the large-truck involvement rate stayed the same at 1.46. This means that 1.46 trucks were involved in a fatal crash for every 100 million miles traveled.

As for the location of these crashes, 61 percent took place in rural areas. Another 27 percent occurred on interstate highways, with 15 percent crossing over both categories. More than a third of crashes happened between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. when visibility is poorer and drowsiness is at its height.

The reason for the increase may partly lie in the fact that 2016 saw 300,000 more registered trucks on the roads. The number of non-fatal crashes involving large trucks went up significantly from 83,000 in 2015 to 104,000 in 2016. The top causes for fatal crashes were speeding as well as distracted or inattentive driving. Alcohol intoxication was more common among passenger vehicle drivers than truckers.

Whatever the cause of a truck accident, if it was due to the truck driver’s negligence, the victim may be eligible for compensation. This is where a lawyer can come in and assist with the filing of the personal injury claim. If the victim died, an eligible dependent can file a wrongful death suit.

A Mississippi resident can be held financially liable for damages caused by their vehicle even if they were not driving when the damage occurred. If someone lends their vehicle to a family member, friend or employee, or the vehicle has a manufacturing defect, the owner of the vehicle can be held responsible in the event of an accident.

If a vehicle owner has prior knowledge that someone is an unsafe driver, they should not lend their vehicle to that individual. If they do lend their vehicle to the unsafe driver, the owner can be held liable for any accidents that occur. Several states permit both the driver of the vehicle and the owner to be named as defendants in lawsuits that are filed under the vicarious liability theory. Even in jurisdictions in which there is no owner’s liability law, the negligent entrustment theory can be used to hold the vehicle’s owner liable for injuries that were incurred by the unsafe driver that was allowed to use the vehicle.

Parents should also be wary when lending a vehicle to their minor children. The Family Car Doctrine can be used to hold parents responsible for damages that are the result of a vehicle being driven by a minor. This doctrine can be applied even if the minor is not included in the automobile insurance policy.

Employers can also be held liable under the "respondeat superior" and vicarious liability negligence theories if their employees are responsible for accidents while behind the wheel of the company vehicle. However, this applies only to accidents that take place while the employee is performing work duties.

A personal injury attorney may work to protect the rights of a client who has been injured in a car accident. Financial damages may be pursued for medical expenses and pain and suffering.