Drivers switch off safety tech

More than one in three Queensland motorists are switching off potentially life-saving safety features in their cars, with some frustrated by overly sensitive warnings and frequent alerts.

New research from RACQ found 35 per cent of drivers had switched off lane departure warnings, while 22 per cent had disabled autonomous emergency braking and 34 per cent reported not using adaptive cruise control.

The findings come as Queensland's road toll reaches 250 deaths this year, with the state on track to exceed 300 fatalities for the third consecutive year.

RACQ Executive Manager Road Safety Joshua Cooney said advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) were designed to reduce the risk of human error causing crashes, but some motorists were reluctant to embrace the technology.

“It’s concerning motorists are turning safety features off, when they have been designed to help make our roads safer,” Mr Cooney said.

Drivers surveyed said they found alerts too sensitive or frequent, preferred to remain in control or worried about becoming too reliant on technology.

“ADAS is not there to take over – it’s there to help you stay safe,” Joshua said.

“Vehicle technology is constantly evolving and while some alerts may feel too sensitive or frequent, these systems are continuing to improve.

“We want Queenslanders to understand how the technology works and use it to their advantage, rather than switching it off.”

Research by Insurance Australia Group suggests one in five Australian road casualties could potentially be prevented through full use of advanced driver assistance technology, equivalent to about 7850 fatalities and hospitalisations annually.

The research also estimated the systems could reduce sideswipe collisions by up to 40 per cent, head-on collisions by up to 21 per cent and lane change collisions by up to 15 per cent.

Joshua said helping motorists understand and trust the technology was an important part of improving road safety.

“Helping drivers understand and trust these safety systems is crucial to reducing the number of deaths each year and making Queensland roads safer.”