Officials say drivers can rely too heavily on new safety technology
Blind-spot monitoring, collision warnings and lane-detection technologies can prevent crashes – but they are not a substitute for a driver’s awareness, officials said.
An increasing number of drivers are buying new vehicles equipped with safety features, called advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS. Drivers should use those technologies as a second level of protection, not rely on them solely, said local police.
“The more technology they have, the more they’ll rely on it instead of common sense,” said state police Trooper Robert Broadwater.
Drivers nationwide are relying too heavily on safety technologies, a national study completed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found.
“When properly utilized, ADAS technologies have the potential to prevent 40 percent of all vehicle crashes and nearly 30 percent of traffic deaths. Lack of understanding or confusion about the proper function of ADAS technologies, however, can lead to misuse and over-reliance on the systems, which could result in a deadly crash,” the study found.
Driving instructor Alan Rafail said he has seen an increase in the number of students who are learning to drive on cars equipped with ADAS features.
“Sometimes the parents get a little bit edgy about it. They don’t want them to use it,” he said.
He is the owner of A. Rafail Driving School, based in Waynesburg. He teaches his driving students about ADAS limitations in his instructions, reminding them to never rely solely on the technology.
“I repeat it all the time when I’m in the car. It’s not the only thing you should be using. Move your head around. Do a pre-driving check to make sure nothing is in the way,” he said.
Connellsville Police Department Cpl. Bryan Kendi said he sees few vehicles equipped with ADAS in Connellsville. In the next several years as the technology becomes more common, he expects to see drivers relying on the technology instead of standard driving practices.
“I think people will just assume that the technology will always work the way it’s supposed to, and that just by having it nothing is going to go wrong,” he said. “Just by having it, you tend to forget the simple things like checking your blind spots visually, checking your mirrors.”
Education is a key factor in using the technology to prevent crashes. The study found most drivers do not understand the limitations of technology in their own vehicles. Eighty percent of drivers with ADAS systems incorrectly believed blind-spot monitoring could monitor the road behind them and detect bicycles, pedestrians and fast-moving vehicles. Forty percent of drivers either misunderstood the limitations of forward-collision monitoring and automatic braking, or confused the two technologies. About one in six drivers did not know whether their vehicle could automatically brake in an emergency.
The study found about 25 percent of drivers rely solely on blind-spot monitoring or rear-traffic alerts, instead of performing visual checks. About 25 percent of drivers also said they feel comfortable engaging in other tasks while driving, relying on forward-collision warnings and lane-departure systems.
“The big thing is, the technology is going to continue to change. Always keep yourself updated on it, and don’t use it as a sole feature of how you back up or how you make a pass on the road when the car is in motion,” Rafail said.
The vehicle Rafail uses in driving classes is equipped with a back-up camera. He explains to students the camera is used as a tool. The camera cannot detect everything behind a car, and can give a distorted or blurred picture, he said.
Kendi reminded drivers to remember their basic driving skills, even if they are using ADAS technology.
“Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t just rely on the technology,” he said. “Look out your window. Look at your mirrors. It doesn’t hurt to check what the system tells you.”