Vehicle manufacturers, dealerships, DVSA (Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency) and driving instructors should include a comprehensive lesson for motorists on how to use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) so they are a road safety benefit and not a potential hazard.
The urgent call has been made by IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, following the publication of a highly influential report by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) entitled ‘How to maximize the road safety benefits of ADAS?’. Key among the report’s findings and recommendations are that most users do not receive any training but have to rely on information from the user manual, and most alarmingly by applying a ‘trial-and-error’ method.
Some of the most widely known ADAS include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking system, lane keeping assist and driver monitoring for drowsiness and distraction recognition. How many are in your fleet? Have your drivers been given formal training on how to use them safely?
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy & Research, said: “Advanced driver assistance systems have the potential to improve road safety, but only if used correctly. If incorrectly used, not least without a full understanding of what the system is and is not capable of, it can have the opposite effect with worrying consequences for all road users.” Click here to find out more.
