8 Safety Features Your Car Should Have
If we put aside the covid pandemic, car crashes and accidents have been a significant cause of deaths worldwide. This fact has made the safety features of the car an essential consideration for many car buyers. Thankfully, technology has given a plethora of safety features that can make all the difference between the life and death of the driver.
If you consider buying a car or upgrading an existing one, check on these eight safety features that every vehicle should have for a safe driving experience. Read on!
1. Forward Collision Warning
A significant number of car accidents happen when the driver ahead suddenly applies the brakes. With the forward-collision warning system, you can avert it. The system has forward-facing sensors that keep track of the distance and the relative speed between the vehicles. On sensing danger of collision, it alerts you via sounds, visual clues, or even by vibrations of the steering wheel. You can then adjust your car speed accordingly and easily avoid an accident.
2. Adaptive Headlights
The safety feature is a must-add for night traveling as it takes your visibility a step further, especially around curves. This feature pivots the headlights in the direction of the movement of the vehicle. Consequently, you get a better view of the road ahead and avert any mishap. The power of this feature becomes more robust if you combine it with HID headlights, night view technology, and similar features. A roof rack flood light and adaptive headlights can enhance your visibility and provide a better view of the road.
3. Automated Emergency Braking System (AEB)
This technology makes a perfect pair with the previous feature and reduces car crash probability to negligible. The system can automatically detect an imminent collision with the vehicle ahead, a pedestrian, or anything else. On sensing a collision, it automatically slams on the brakes. You need not yell, ‘Look out!’ and quickly avert a devastating accident.
4. Traction Control
This latest safety feature is an electronically controlled system within the car that controls the wheel spin during acceleration to give maximum traction to the driver at all times. It proves crucial in wet and icy winter conditions when the car is running with a high horsepower engine, and spinning tires prove dangerous enough to cause fatal accidents.
The traction control feature often works in tandem with the antilock brake system. Whenever its sensor recognizes that one of the wheels is turning faster than its counterparts, it routes power to the opposite drive wheel, thereby preventing skidding of the car, especially in wet or icy conditions. The system may put the brakes on, throttle back the engine or sometimes upshift the transmission to control wheel spin.
Controlling the spin gives maximum traction to the car to stay on route and helps averts accidents that often occur on wet and slippery roads.
5. Blind Spot Detection
Very few know that every car has multiple blind spots. These are areas around the car, through which a driver cannot see when driving a car. Consequently, it’s easy to miss the moving vehicle at certain angles, leading to a potential accident. The blind spots are more common when you are changing lanes or executing other driving maneuvers.
The blind-spot detection features work as your eye on these invisible areas. It alerts you of the vehicle there and helps you avoid accidents. Its more sophisticated versions can activate the brakes and steering controls to prevent the accident. We currently see this technology only in high-end cars, but it should soon feature in mid-range vehicles as well.
6. Lane Departure Warning
Lane driving is crucial, especially if you are driving on a highway and busy roads. A deviation might confuse other drivers and lead to accidents. But the lane departure warning system helps you stay in your lane.
Typically, this system has a camera installed on the windshield near the rearview mirror. It constantly monitors your vehicle and issues an alert sound, visual cues, or other such alerts to help you not deviate from the lane. Its advanced version can even take and reposition your car back on the lane you are driving.
7. Crumple Zones
Another excellent safety feature is the crumple zones, which can significantly mitigate the impact of an automotive collision. These are areas usually in the front and sometimes at the rear of a car. These areas are designed to effortlessly absorb the impact of any crash and often crumple as a result.
Accidents not only cause harm to humans but also damage the car, sometimes irreparably. But crumple zones help in reducing the damage to a vehicle to a bare minimum. This safety feature’s maximum benefit manifests in a head-on collision.
8. Seatbelt Pretensioners
If there is sudden braking or crash of the car, this safety feature restrains the seatbelt. Because of it, the occupant’s movement is restricted and secured to the seat. It helps cause minimal harm to the driver.
Final Words
Several safety features like airbags, side view mirrors, etc., are being made mandatory by governments for enhanced road safety. You can add as many safety features as nothing is too much. However, none of the safety features can beat careful driving. Accidents can still happen if you are careless. Following all driving norms and installing safety features is the way to go for a happy and safe drive on the roads.