VOA常速英语2008年-Vehicle Cameras Record Traffic Accidents, Misha

By Paul Sisco
Washington
10 April 2008
 

A company called DriveCam has developed a camera system it claims is making streets safer in the U.S., Europe, South Africa and Asia.  Once installed in vehicles, the cameras record traffic incidents.  The recordings¹ give drivers, parents of young drivers and employers clues on how to prevent future accidents.  The California-based company developed the system 10 years ago.  It claims to have reduced damage and the costs of personal injuries by 50 percent in tens of thousands of vehicles. VOA's Paul Sisco has more in this Searching for Solutions report.

The tiny cameras mounted² inside vehicles record driver mishaps³ and accidents. DriveCam says its cameras are now in 100,000 vehicles worldwide.

On a computer, parents can view their children at the wheel.  Employers can see their drivers: a sleepy cab driver, not wearing a seat belt, was thrown into the back seat. The cameras are activated⁴ by sudden movements.

DriveCam analysts⁵ who studied three million mishaps say most accidents happen at intersections⁶. How to avoid such accidents?  “What you really should do is look left, right, left, even if you have the right of way," notes Company President Brian Moeller.

Other common issues:  driving too fast for conditions, and not wearing seat belts. "About two-thirds of the adults and about three-quarters of the kids who getting in accidents are unbelted," adds Moeller.

Several months ago a teenager and a friend were in a serious accident. They were wearing seat belts because the driver's mother had seen her daughter on camera driving without one before.

The company says these images teach important lessons - costly lessons others had to learn the hard way.

1 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

2 mounted   

adj.骑在马[自行车]上的；安装好的；裱好的v.登上，骑上( mount的过去式和过去分词)；增加，上升；上演；准备

参考例句：

• He mounted his horse and rode off. 他跨上马骑走了。
• He saddled his horse, mounted, and rode away at a gallop. 他给马套上鞍子，跨上马背疾驰而去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 mishaps   

n.轻微的事故，小的意外( mishap的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a series of mishaps 一连串的倒霉事
• In spite of one or two minor mishaps everything was going swimmingly. 尽管遇到了一两件小小的不幸，一切都进行得很顺利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 intersections   

n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集

参考例句：

• Traffic lights have been placed at all major intersections. 所有重要的交叉路口都安装了交通信号灯。
• Intersections are of the greatest importance in highway design. 在道路设计中，交叉口占有最重要的地位。 来自辞典例句