The ideal car for any buyer should one that offers a useful combination of safety, comfort, durability and reliability. Some days ago, I stumbled upon a Forbes article that listed the least safe cars for 2007 (a link to that article has been pasted at the bottom.) That article one way or the other has inspired me to write this very article for our dear readers.
With car crashes at an unprecedented high, the question of car safety is becoming top on every buyers mind. A safe car is a car that protects its occupants during an accident. This protection comes about by the existence of certain safety features in a car. Unfortunately, not all cars have the same level of safety. In short, not every car is safe for you to drive.
Drivers losing concentration while on the road now take up a significant portion of causes for road accidents recorded. Most people lose track on the road when they get embedded in some other activity. Features that help maintain a driver’s consciousness while driving like air-conditioning, power steering, adjustable seat belts, and electronic mirrors should be made available on every safe vehicle. For concentration purposes, it’s also better to go with automatic rather than manual transmission.
How does a Car protect its Driver and Occupants?
Reputable car safety rating agencies arrive at their own safety ratings by conducting crash tests on a car to be rated. The car is run into a resistant block with electronic receptors used to estimate any effects the crash would have on its occupants. Car performance during simulated crashes (front, side, and rollover) is usually a part of the rating process.
During an accident, so many things could go wrong. Detachable and Collapsible objects like steering column, dashboard, roof pillars, doors, pedals and floor panels are especially venerable under different accident situations. In cases of a side impact, reinforcements on all doors are needed in order for them not to cave in so much as to injure the passenger. In cases of rollover accidents, the roof pillars should be strong enough to prevent the roof from caving in. If they cave excessively inwards, they limit the space available to occupants making it harder for them to get out of the car and possibly injuring them in the process. Some car manufacturers put in extra effort to make their cars less venerable during accidents but this does not apply to all of them. This is a reason why every car buyer should be aware of just how safe his car really is.
Here are some Safety Features
• Dual Front Airbags (highly recommended)
• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) (highly recommended)
• Headrests (on all seats) (recommended)
• Electronic stability control (optional)
• Curtain airbags (optional)
• Side airbags (highly recommended)
• A seat belt warning device (recommended)
• An anti-whiplash system (optional)
• Automated daytime running lights (optional)
• Load limiters for seat belts (optional)
• Adjustable seat belts (recommended)
• Cargo Barrier - Station Wagon (highly recommended)
Helpful Resources:
Articles
Least-Safe Cars 2007
How Safe is your Car
Forbes Lists 20 Most Dangerous Cars
Car safety ratings
European New Car Assessment Program (ENCAP)
Get Crash Test Results for specific models
Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR)
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Tags | car protection, car safety, safe cars, safe vehicles
