While you may enjoy the semi-autonomous features available on your new car, such as adaptive cruise control and lane centering, the time has not yet come to rely fully on these features to operate the car for you. We are still a way away from fully autonomous vehicles, but this does not stop many from over relying on semi-autonomous features leading to car crashes.
Risks taken by drivers of semi-autonomous vehicles
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that, depending on the type of feature, motorists operating vehicles with semi-autonomous features are willing to let the car do the work of driving while they have a bite to eat or send a text message.
IIHS research reports that drivers of semi-autonomous vehicles are more likely to take both hands off the wheel, let their gaze travel away from the road and believe it is safe to do something other than drive when behind the wheel of an autonomous vehicle.
Respect the limits of your semi-autonomous vehicle or risk causing a collision
It is essential that drivers respect the limits of their semi-autonomous vehicle. If you are engaging in an activity in your semi-autonomous vehicle while the vehicle is in operation and you cause a collision, your failure to operate your vehicle safely could be considered an act of negligence, opening the door to legal liability.
While semi-autonomous features make it easier to drive, it is important to remember that you are ultimately in charge of your vehicle. Drivers who over-rely on semi-autonomous features are in danger of causing a car crash that could impact the lives of injured victims forever.