A Look At Basic Car Safety Features
Most of us consider brand, make, color and performance when considering which vehicle to purchase? Many don’t think about safety. However, safety features can save lives during an accident and it certainly is an important factor to co keep in mind when you are planning to purchase a vehicle. Most cars come with basic features such as air bags and electronic stability but some new cars can even detect other vehicles and passengers via advanced radar and camera systems. Here are few of the safety features available in cars today.
One of the most common safety features found in today’s cars are air bags; they are usually available even on economy vehicles. However, back in 1981 Mercedes Benz was the first company to include air bags on its S-Class lineup. Bags can seriously injure small children; that’s why they should always be seated in the rear.
Another common feature is the seatbelt which were first invented in 1885 by George Cayley. Wearing a seatbelt is mandatory in many countries. One of the most important safety features that can be found in any vehicle is the seatbelt. Most modern seat belts come with pre-tensioners which tighten up in order to restrain the passenger during an impending impact. Seat belts can minimize gave injuries by preventing the passenger from hitting sharp objects and materials during a collision. Since pretensioners tighten up, they also prevent an occupant from sliding under the belt during an accident.
Whiplash refers to injuries caused to the neck area during car accidents during a rear collision. The head rest is an integral component that can prevent neck injuries. A headrest minimizes the range of motion of the head and neck during a crash. In order for a restraint to work it needs to be properly adjusted.
Volvo is a company that has a solid reputation for always putting safety first. Volvo’s cars now come with Pedestrian Detection; this system prevents accidents by warning the driver if there is an individual in front of the vehicle’s path. This innovative system will actually apply the brakes if the driver does not do so in time. A radar which is mounted in the grille works in conjunction with a camera in order to detect objects. Volvo cars also brakes for other vehicles if the driver doesn’t hit the brakes in time.
Even though today’s safety systems are more advanced than ever, that doesn’t mean that you can drive recklessly and not pay attention to the road. One of the most crucial factors which determine safety is the driver. Behaviors such as speeding, driving distractedly and recklessly increase your risk of an accident no matter how advanced the vehicle’s safety systems are.