Advanced driver assistance systems

Advanced driver assistance systems have been shown to reduce crashes and injuries so why turn them off. These systems are always likely to have false triggers, but you do get to understand their limitations. Generally, the alerts can be less annoying for the occasional false alarm. If you turn it off, you risk overlooking incidents that may prove fatal for you, your passengers or other road users.

These valuable assistance systems can often be adjusted so they are less annoying, but still operate to help you avoid accidents. Instead of a lane assist feature beeping at you or tugging at the steering wheel as you get close to lane markings or what appear to be lane markings to the system, you can often change a setting so it doesn't provide an audible alert or tug at the steering wheel, but simply vibrates the steering wheel. This is less intrusive, but still effective should you actually be distracted and allows you time to recover from the situation and avoid a serious accident.

The one drivers complain about the most is the driver attention monitor. Many motoring journalists complain about this feature, but from what I see in their videos they don’t keep their eyes on the road and are constantly 'distracted' when turning to the camera or using the touch screens. I often see drivers turning to the passenger when they talk to them. I seem to be able to keeping my eyes on the road and talk to my passengers without turning to them. These are the situations this feature is designed to help you avoid. Perhaps drivers should question their habits before disabling these valuable systems. It would also be appreciated if motoring journalists would improve their other bad habits such holding the steering wheel badly or only driving with one hand on the steering wheel. These habits can also lead to dangerous situations.

Driver assistance systems are designed to assist the driver. They do not take away, or replace, a driver's responsibility to be in control of their vehicle at all times.

Most accidents don’t just impact you. They can impact your passengers and other road users, as well as those who may come to your rescue, including emergency services personnel. Driving must be taken seriously. Even a short trip to the shops can end in tragedy.

During a recent 3 km trip to the shopping centre I was alarmed at the number of incidents that could have ended in tragedy. Not all of them would be prevented by driver assistance systems. The incidents encountered, included:

• three vehicles drifting over the double lines onto my side of the road
• two drivers, who had just parked, getting out of the vehicles without looking to see if anything was coming, and expecting all other road user to avoid them
• two drivers entering roundaboats at significant speed as if this gives them priority (the rule is slow down, give way to vehicles on the roundabout and join the roundabout safely)
• one vehicle proceeding through a red light
• as many as ten who failed to indicate for the correct distance or time when entering or exiting roads, or changing lanes.

It can be truely frightening on the road today.

When I get into the car as the driver I try to forget everything else going on and concentrate on my driving. I wish others would try to do the same. It's not easy, but you do get better at this over time and remember, a vehicle can be very dangerous when it is in the hands of a driver who is not paying attention.