Drivers of smart cars are more likely to drive dumb

According to an online survey by State Farm, Americans who drive smart cars are more likely to drive dumb.

The survey found drivers vehicles with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), both advanced driver assist features, admit to using their smart phones while driving at significantly higher rates than those without the latest tech. Drivers with advanced safety tech in their vehicles are taking more risks.

The State Farm survey shows the following behaviors in people driving smarter cars vs cars without these advance features:

• Read or sent messages while driving - 62% of people with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), vs. 49% and 51% without those features.
• Interacting with cell phone apps - 56% and 54% with ACC and LKA vs 42% and 44% without them
• Holding phone while talking in the car - 60% and 63% with ACC and LKA vs 50% and 51% without them.
• Manually entering a phone number - 52% and 56% with ACC and LKA vs 38% without them

Drivers still need to stay engaged when behind the wheel. This type of advanced safety technology is there to assist the driver, not replace the driver.