New survey suggests smart cars could lead to dumber drivers

Jul 25, 2019 9:13 PM EDT

ABC Columbia Staff,

According to a new study conducted by State Farm people who drive cars that come with advanced driver assist features like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) admit they use their smart phones while driving at a significantly higher rate than those driving cars without the latest tech savvy bells and whistles.

State Farm officials say these features have promising safety benefits, but were created to work in conjunction with drivers who are paying attention.

The survey shows 42% of drivers with Lane Keeping Assist tech admitted they “frequently” or “sometimes” use video chat while driving in comparison to 20% of drivers without the advanced technology.

This graph released by State Farm breaks down the data gathered during the study of distracted driving as it relates to advanced vehicle technology:

(Image: State Farm)

Laurel Straub who is the State Farm Assistant Vice President, Enterprise Research says,

“Innovations such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assist are designed to make our roadways safer,”…“These systems are meant to assist drivers, not replace them.”

The study also shows, that of the people surveyed, at least half of them said they would be willing to take their eyes off the road for less than five seconds to pay attention to something else. According to the auto insurance company, taking your eyes of the road, even for a short time can be dangerous.

State farm suggest a few things you can do to be safer and smarter than the smart car you’re driving.

Do not read or send text messages
Do not update social media
Do not access the internet
Do not talk on the phone unless it’s connected to the car audio
Do not check or send emails
Do not take selfies or film videos
Do not enter destinations into GPS while the car is moving
Keep your phone out of reach (glove compartment, purse, etc.). Pull over and park in a safe location if it is necessary to use your phone.
Ask your passenger to make a call or text for you.
Set your phone to send an automatic reply while you are driving.
Do nothing that takes your attention away from your number one task — driving safe.