Speedy advances in vehicle safety technology are challenging for many drivers.
Designed to make driving safer and easier, these systems also have tested drivers’ adaptability, as a recent in-depth survey of more than 2,000 adult drivers across the United States found.
The study found that a majority of respondents had heard of, been exposed to, or interacted with at least one of the nine safety features studied, but expressed uncertainty about use of the technologies.
“The level of confusion about features that have been standard in American cars for quite a while was really surprising,” according to Daniel McGehee, director of the Transportation and Vehicle Safety Research Division at the University of Iowa Public Policy Center. “We need to do a better job of making sure consumers are comfortable with them.”
The university is cooperating with the National Safety Council through the website MyCarDoesWhat.org to provide information to new-vehicle owners on current technology. This includes videos and informational graphics that are entertaining and educational.
The video presented here, “Spot the hidden danger,” about blind-spot monitors, comes from MyCarDoesWhat.org, and is a continuation of a bi-weekly series here. A 30-second quick guide also follows, plus a brief introduction to Rick and Scout, who host the full-length videos.
Spot the hidden danger
Quick guide video
Rick and Scout
