Should You Set Cruise Control While Driving?

I don’t drive, but the practical guidance is clear: use cruise control on open, dry highways with light, predictable traffic, and avoid it in bad weather, dense or complex traffic, and on steep or winding roads. Modern adaptive systems can help manage speed and following distance, but they still require your full attention and readiness to brake at any moment.

What Cruise Control Means in 2025

“Cruise control” today ranges from traditional systems that hold a set speed to adaptive cruise control (ACC) that automatically adjusts speed to maintain a gap to the vehicle ahead, sometimes all the way to stop-and-go. Premium systems may combine ACC with lane centering, driver monitoring, and limited hands-free operation on mapped highways. Regardless of branding, these remain driver-assistance features (not self-driving): regulators and safety researchers continue to stress that the driver must supervise and be prepared to intervene immediately.

When It’s Smart to Use Cruise Control

The following points outline scenarios where setting cruise control typically makes sense, helping you maintain a steady, legal speed with less workload.

• Long, straight highway stretches with light, steady traffic and good visibility.
• Dry pavement and stable weather conditions without high winds or standing water.
• Daytime or well-lit night driving where road markings and traffic patterns are clear.
• Roads with consistent speed limits and minimal merging or lane changes.
• Adaptive cruise control: moderate, predictable traffic where automatic gap-keeping can reduce constant speed adjustments.

In these conditions, cruise control can improve speed discipline and comfort, and in many vehicles, it can contribute to smoother, more efficient driving.

When You Shouldn’t Use It

There are also times when cruise control can increase risk by dulling vigilance or removing crucial tactile feedback. The situations below are best handled with manual control.

• Rain, snow, ice, or frost, and on any slippery surface where wheelspin or hydroplaning is possible.
• Dense traffic, stop-and-go conditions, construction zones, and complex urban corridors.
• Winding mountain roads, sharp grades, and steep downhill segments where engine braking and precise speed modulation are essential.
• Poor visibility: fog, heavy precipitation, smoke, or glare that reduces reaction time.
• Unfamiliar routes with frequent navigation decisions, sudden speed-limit changes, or hidden driveways and crossings.
• Driver fatigue: cruise control is not a remedy for drowsiness and can worsen inattention—stop to rest instead.
• Towing or carrying heavy loads on uneven terrain; rely on lower gears and manual control for better stability and braking.

In these scenarios, manual speed control keeps you more engaged and responsive to rapidly changing conditions, preserving safety margins.

Benefits and Trade-offs

Understanding the advantages and limitations helps you decide when cruise control adds value and when it doesn’t.

• Pros: steadier speeds, reduced unintentional speeding, lower workload on long journeys, and potential fuel-efficiency gains from smoother throttle input.
• Cons: possible overreliance and reduced vigilance, delayed reactions to hazards, and system limitations with cut-ins, debris, or faded lane markings.
• Adaptive systems: can reduce stress in moderate traffic, but may brake late, misinterpret stationary objects, or follow too closely if settings are too aggressive.
• Hands-free-capable systems: available on certain mapped highways with driver monitoring, but still Level 2—driver remains legally and morally responsible.

The net effect is positive when conditions are right and the driver stays engaged; the risks grow when systems are used as substitutes for attention rather than aids to it.

How to Use Cruise Control Safely

These steps summarize practical setup and usage to maximize safety and comfort with either traditional or adaptive cruise control.

1. Confirm conditions: dry pavement, clear visibility, and predictable traffic before engaging.
2. Set an appropriate speed: at or below the posted limit, adjusted for traffic and weather.
3. Choose a generous following distance in ACC (often “long” or at least 3–4 seconds) to allow for cut-ins and sudden stops.
4. Keep your right foot poised and your hands on the wheel; be ready to brake or steer at any time.
5. Use the “resume,” “cancel,” and “coast” functions judiciously; tap the brakes to disengage if conditions change.
6. On hills, be mindful that some systems downshift or increase throttle aggressively; consider manual control on steep grades.
7. Continuously scan ahead for work zones, emergency vehicles, debris, and vulnerable road users that automation may not handle reliably.
8. Follow the owner’s manual for system-specific behaviors, limitations, and calibration (e.g., camera or radar constraints).

With these habits, cruise control remains an assistant rather than a crutch, preserving situational awareness while easing the driving task.

Adaptive Cruise Control: Capabilities and Limits

Drivers often expect more than these systems can deliver. The points below clarify common features and their boundaries.

• Distance keeping: maintains a driver-selected gap but may react abruptly to cut-ins or misjudge stopped traffic at high speeds.
• Stop-and-go: some vehicles can handle low-speed queues; others disengage below a threshold or after a brief stop.
• Lane centering: helps maintain lane position but typically requires hands on the wheel and active supervision.
• Sensor limits: performance can degrade with dirty sensors, poor weather, faded lines, or sharp curves.
• Driver monitoring: cameras or torque sensors help ensure attention; ignoring alerts can lead to disengagement.

Treat these features as assistance for routine tasks, not as autonomy; consistent supervision remains essential even when the system seems confident.

Legal and Safety Notes

There’s generally no law against using cruise control, but drivers are responsible for safe operation at all times. Safety agencies continue to emphasize that driver-assistance features do not make a vehicle self-driving. Many state driving manuals specifically advise against cruise control on slippery roads. Insurance and liability typically hinge on driver behavior and attention, regardless of assistance features.

Bottom Line

Set cruise control on open, dry highways to reduce workload and help maintain a steady, lawful speed. Turn it off in bad weather, complex or heavy traffic, and on steep or winding roads. Even with adaptive or hands-free-capable systems, keep your eyes up, hands ready, and judgment in charge.

Summary

Use cruise control as a helpful tool, not a substitute for attention: it’s appropriate on clear, predictable highways and inappropriate in poor conditions or complex traffic. Adaptive systems add comfort but still require constant supervision. When in doubt, drive manually and defer to your vehicle’s manual and posted conditions.

When to turn on cruise control?

Wait for a moment when it’s appropriate to use cruise control before turning it on. Check that the road is clear, that weather conditions are good, and that you’re on a highway or a road where you won’t have to stop or change speed often. If conditions are right to use cruise control in your car, turn on the system.

Are you supposed to use cruise control while driving through town?

Only use your cruise control when the roadways are dry and clean, and never during rainy or icy conditions. Also, never use cruise control in city or congested traffic as the decreased control of your vehicle could contribute to an accident.

How to properly use cruise control?

Using cruise control is easy! You just have to turn on the cruise control function, and press the set button (of flick it) when you have reached the desired speed. You can then make adjustments to the cruise control speed, cancel it, or resume it using the other buttons!

Can you set cruise control while driving?

Press On on the cruise control switch on your steering wheel. Drive at your desired speed. Press Set. Take your foot off the accelerator.