Distraction from driver-assistance tech emerges as leading road safety risk, study warns

Misuse, misunderstanding, and in-vehicle distractions caused by advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) have overtaken traditional mechanical failures as the primary safety concern on modern roads, according to new global research.

A study titled Safety in Motion: Driving Trust in Modern Mobility – conducted by Economist Enterprise – reveals that 30 per cent of transport professionals identify the misuse or misunderstanding of driver-assistance systems as the single greatest cause of safety issues. 

Distraction, such as from in-cab systems can reduce focus, Drivetech has warned. Photograph: iStock

A further 24 per cent point to tech-driven features that distract drivers from the road as the most severe risk.

By contrast, just 3 per cent of transport experts view traditional mechanical failure as a leading cause of incidents.

Fleet risk training experts, Drivetech has highlighted that driver behaviour is the main factor behind the 128,000 casualties reported on UK roads each year. 

Distraction, such as from in-cab systems and routine tasks can reduce focus, it warned earlier this year. “A few seconds of inattention is enough to cause a collision. Driver behaviour policies must address in-vehicle distractions, especially in commercial settings,” said a post on its website.

The study’s findings come at a pivotal moment for the UK. On 7 July, new regulations coming in under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 restrict manufacturers from using terms like 'self-driving' or 'autonomous' in marketing unless the technology is fully driverless. 

Regulators have imposed the strict rules to tackle the issue highlighted in the study. 

As the Department for Transport highlighted in its statutory guidance: “Such marketing is dangerous: it can mislead drivers into thinking that they do not need to pay attention to the road. As more manufacturers offer high-end driver assistance systems, misleading marketing risks worsening road safety.'

Both industry professionals and users shared concerns about misunderstanding the limits of new technologies in the Economist Enterprise study. When asked about marketing related to new vehicles or transport services 65 per cent of professionals expressed concern that advertisements may 'overstate capabilities' and 62 per cent said they imply 'reduced user attention requirements.'