Northamptonshire drivers urged to learn how to use car safety features
A recent study by road safety charity Brake found 35% of drivers admit to having switched off at least one safety feature.
A road safety expert from the county says we shouldn't fear life saving technology on our vehicles.
The comments come at the start of Road Safety Week. A recent study by charity Brake found that 63% of drivers don’t understand what all the safety features in their car - like automated driver assistance - actually do.
Meanwhile 35% of drivers admit to having switched off at least one safety feature.
Keith Millard runs the county's safer driving courses 'CarKraft'.
He says we need to do our homework when it comes to our cars safety features:
"Before we turn it off though, try it out. That's the key thing. It's no good dismissing something you've never tried because it may actually save your life one day."
Road Safety Charity Brake is raising awareness of how safe vehicles can make roads safer by being roadworthy, preventing crashes and protecting people in the event of a crash.
These include features from automated driver assistance systems that help drivers keep within speed limits and brake in an emergency, parking assistance, driver drowsiness sensors to essential checks that drivers can do before every journey.
The charity have written to Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander MP urging the Government to adopt the latest Vehicle General Safety Regulation (GSR) updates into the GB Type Approval Scheme.
Keith says he finds some drivers with lots of experience are distrustful of new technology.
"A lot of our mature drivers, those over 60, fear this technology because it's it's almost alien to them. And yet it is designs to help keep them and everybody safer on our roads."
Keith makes sure to understand all the safety features of his car, including the e-Call, which could help if you are left unconscious after a crash or stuck on the inside lane on a smart motorway:
"It's a little red button and the event of a crash. It automatically sends a 999 call to the emergency services and it gives the the vehicle identification number for your vehicle. The location and the direction of travel, what type of vehicle it is by petrol, electric, diesel, and whether it's not automatic or manual."
According to Northamptonshire Police last year 31 people died following a collision and 243 suffered serious or life-changing injuries.
Road Safety Week Events
- Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Phoenix Parkway in Corby on Monday 17 November
- Moulton School - Tuesday 18 November
- Northampton Saints Ground - Tuesday 18 November - part of their foundation Aspire programme
- Brackley mature driver roadshow Wednesday 19
- Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Biker Down Event - Sat 22 November from 9:30am