If your vehicle has all the new bells and whistles like automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance, AAA warns those safety features might not be optimal during bad weather. AAA spokesperson Don Redman said research indicates you shouldn’t rely on these safety features when the weather takes a turn.
“In moderate to heavy rain, those systems fail almost a third of the time, especially driving 35 mph or more. It’s a big concern that these systems are not tested in inclement weather,” said Redman.
Redman said they are also seeing more drivers trust these features to warn them of dangers on the road while they focus their attention on their phones instead of being an attentive driver.
“I think they are just over-relying on some of the systems and sensors that are built into their cars and that’s where we’re seeing an uptick in crashes,” said
While most of us fail to do so Redman highly recommends owners of these types of vehicles read the owner’s manual and said they’ll discover the limitations of the safety features, for example, the automatic braking systems have difficulty seeing pedestrians at lower speeds.
“Don’t become over-reliant on technology to the point that you get careless and no longer are actively engaged behind the wheel, we still need an engaged driver,” said Redman.
Redman also reminds drivers not to use cruise control whenever road conditions are wet because they are more likely to hydroplane and lose control of their vehicle.
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