U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently examined connected vehicle technologies for the first time at a research clinic hosted by the Department of Transportation.

These technologies create communication between vehicles, and may avert crashes by warning drivers of an imminent collision or other danger. Messages might instruct a driver not to pass or inform him or her that a vehicle ahead has stopped, for example.

"The past several decades of auto safety have been dedicated to surviving crashes, but the future will be about avoiding crashes. That is what connected vehicles are all about," said the Research and Innovative Technology Administration's acting administrator, Greg Winfree.

According to analyses from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, these technologies and devices may affect as many as 80 percent of collisions, including common events such as lane-switching or intersection crashes.

Secretary LaHood noted more than 32,000 people die each year in crashes, despite fatalities reaching historic lows. He also praised auto manufacturers, several of which are supporting the Department's push to develop new safety technologies, for their efforts.

As safety research continues, the NHTSA will use the resulting information to determine whether to proceed with further vehicle-to-vehicle communication. If the technologies are successful, they may impact the auto insurance industry significantly. One possibility is that private insurers will offer incentives for installing safety measures, or the government may mandate their addition to all vehicles.