When driving, it’s easy to get distracted by the road and other drivers around you. It’s even easier to forget about some of your car’s more minor, less prominent safety features until something happens. To help prevent accidents, car manufacturers are constantly trying to develop innovative safety features that lower the risk of accidents and improve your odds of surviving one. Here are those five features, along with some tips on how they work and why they’re so important.
Airbags
Seatbelts are estimated to save over 11,000 lives in the United States each year. But wearing your seatbelt is not enough to keep you safe on the road. Airbags have been standard car equipment for several decades now. They are very effective when combined with seatbelts in saving lives in crashes. In addition, airbag technology is continuously improving. Many cars now feature a back seat, dash, and side curtain airbags.
Forward Collision Monitor
We all know the feeling of being on the open road, wind in our hair, music blaring. But sometimes, we can become distracted and not see potential collisions with other cars on the road. Collision warning technology will alert you if you get too close to another vehicle and, in some cases, can apply the brakes to avoid crashes.
Lane Keeping Assist
One of the most common causes of traffic accidents on the highways involves motorists not seeing another car in the next lane and veering out of their lane or drifting out of their lane and losing control of their vehicle. One newer technology is lane-keeping assist. This feature will automatically gently steer your car back into its lane when you start to veer off course.
Anti-Lock Brakes
One of the most successful car safety features has been anti-locking brake systems (ABS). ABS prevents your car’s wheels from locking up during hard braking. This allows you more control over your vehicle if you need to make a sudden stop.
Technology Can Save Lives
In-vehicle technology has come a long way in recent years. Many new cars are now equipped with advanced safety features to help prevent accidents and save lives. For example, many newer vehicles are now equipped with an inattentive driver warning that can alert you if you take your eyes off the road for too long.
Car safety features are continuously being developed and refined as these tend to be major selling points for manufacturers. Therefore, make sure you are familiar with your car’s safety features.