Once you decide you want to be safer and allot additional money for the safety features in new cars, it takes some time to learn how to use them.
In fact, in a recent research American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS) study over half of participants had at least one advanced safety feature technology in their vehicle. However, 13.2% of the drivers reported never learning how to use the technologies already installed in their vehicles.
While these safety features could save our lives and serious injury, they have to be understood and used!
So how do we learn?
- Trial and Error: In this study, almost half of the drivers said they determined how to use the technology by “figuring it out themselves”. This may seem like a daunting task at first, but spending time in your vehicle while it is parked provides a safe environment to explore the safety features.
- Owner’s manual: This is a logical place to start and vehicle manufacturers are trying harder to do a better job of explaining how to use the features of the vehicle. In the AAFTS study, however, only 12% of drivers learned about the technologies from the owner’s manual.
- The car dealer is another way to learn more information about how to use the safety features. In fact, almost 20% of drivers in the study reported learning how to use their car technologies from the dealer. This gives you the opportunity to learn from someone who is already knowledgeable about the vehicle’s operating system including all safety features.
- Ask a family member or friend who is familiar with the technology. Even though they may not have the same model, they probably can help you figure out how it works. And finally,
- My Car Does What? Is an awesome website for all things technology! It has videos with Rick and his dog Scout explaining what the technology does and shows how to use it.
Gaining understanding of your vehicle and it’s features, no matter which way you go about learning, can significantly increase driving safety! The most common technologies are Bluetooth, lane departure, backup assist, and navigation assistance systems. However, there are many other safety features such as rear automatic braking that would be worth the price tag.
For more information you can visit the previous post: “Are the Safety Features on New Vehicles Worth the Money?”.
