
Vehicle Safety and Performance
The good news about shopping for a safe car is that you don’t need to think in terms of price-boosting extras. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, many effective safety features are now standard on vehicles sold in the United States.
Safety Belt Systems. Safety belt systems equipped with energy management features and pre-tensioners save lives. During impact, features such as load limiters built into the shoulder belt and tear stitching in the webbing allow safety belts to yield. Pre-tensioners take up the slack, restraining the driver from hitting the dashboard or windshield. Pre–tensioners and energy management safety belts also prevent kinetic energy from being concentrated on your chest.
Rear center seat lap and shoulder belts, although not required, are an excellent idea for a family car. Of course, safety belts must be snugly adjusted to protect you.
Air Bags. Driver and front passenger airbags have been standard equipment since 1999. Though not required by law, side air bags are desirable because they provide additional protection to the chest and head in the event a car is hit from the side.
Head Restraints. Many cars feature restraints that limit head movement and offer protection from whiplash in a rear-impact crash. The rear head restraint should be adjusted so it stands between the top of your ears and top of your head and is as close to your head as possible.
Electronic Stability Control. A system that provides selective wheel braking to improve vehicle handling and help drivers regain control in certain extreme circumstances. ESC employs components of the anti-lock braking system and is required on all passenger vehicles starting with the 2012 model year. Systems on SUVs generally also provide incorporate Rollover Mitigation.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS): System that prevents wheel lock-up by automatically regulating the brakes. ABS can decrease braking distances on slippery pavement, prevent skidding and provide greater control during sudden stops.
Daytime Running Lights (DRL): Front lighting designed to operate during daylight hours to improve a vehicle’s visibility to other drivers. DRLs may be normal-intensity headlights, reduced-intensity headlights or separate lighting assemblies that may include LED arrays.
Backup Cameras: These cameras are designed to assist the driver to see what’s directly behind them, as well as any objects that may be moving into your intended patch. Backup cameras will become mandatory on all passenger cars by 2018.
Want to conduct an in-depth safety review of a specific make and model? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety can help.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). A variety of safety-related systems that monitor vehicle performance and the surrounding environment. ADAS provide a variety of driver alerts when potentially hazardous conditions exist, and some (such as automated emergency braking) can take corrective action when the driver fails to respond appropriately to a dangerous situation.
Blind spot monitoring. An ADAS system that monitors the driver’s blind spots at the rear quarters of the car and provides visual, audible and/or tactile alerts when a vehicle is present in them.
Automatic emergency braking. A system that automatically applies the brakes to prevent or mitigate a collision when the car is approaching another vehicle or object at too high a rate of speed.
Adaptive cruise control. An advanced cruise control system that maintains a preset distance or time interval from the vehicle ahead by automatically controlling the brakes and throttle.
Lane departure warning. An ADAS system that monitors lane markings and provides the driver with visual, audible and/or tactile alerts if their car begins to leave its lane and the turn signal is not on.
Lane keeping assist. An ADAS system that automatically applies braking and/or steering inputs to help keep a vehicle in its lane when the turn signal is not on.