What Should I Know About Buying a Car with Tech Safety Features?
In the last couple months, many Americans have experienced an influx of cash in their bank accounts. Two government stimulus payments to help the economy rebound after COVID shutdowns have helped many Americans to start thinking about making big-ticket purchases. Maybe you now are in the market for buying a new car for the first time in a while.
Once you start shopping, you likely will realize you can get a lot of high-tech features on your car. These features are supposed to prevent you from becoming involved in an accident. However, do these really work?
Safety Features and Reducing Car Accidents
Research from LexisNexis Risk Solutions shows that cars equipped with Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) had a 27% decrease in accident claims with bodily injuries. Property damage accident claims declined by 19%.
Some of the car tech safety systems that are most popular with drivers include:
Blind spot monitoring (which detects if a vehicle is in your blind spot)
Forward collision warning (which senses an impending collision)
Backup cameras (allowing you to see what’s behind you while backing up)
Lane departure warning (which alerts drivers when they unintentionally drift into another lane)
When Safety Features Become Distractions
However, 30% of drivers who have car tech safety systems admit having these systems’ warning sounds go off while driving is distracting. Some drivers decide to turn certain car safety tech systems off. Some safety experts are concerned that if drivers rely on car tech safety systems too much, they may feel they can accomplish other tasks while driving – leading to more distracted driving accidents.
Drivers who consider adding certain safety tech systems to their vehicles will have to decide what features they are most likely to use and if they are likely to be distracted by too many warning sounds and systems. It may take more than a few years before automakers feel they know what the right amount of car safety tech features works best for drivers and to reduce accidents.