When buying a new car, consumers often focus on the cost, mileage, and technological features. Those things are essential — but so, too, is safety.
Whether you drive to and from work solo, take your kids to and from school and activities, or hit the road for long-distance trips, the safety features and mechanics of your car may be the difference between uneventful travels and vehicular mayhem.
Cars are more secure than ever due to improvements in crashworthiness, sophisticated driver-assistance technology, and improved materials. Even so, all vehicles aren’t equal.
If you’re shopping to buy a new vehicle, remember these five safety-related considerations.
1. Structural Strength and Crash Test Ratings
Start with the basics, like a vehicle’s ability to withstand a crash. The most trusted crash safety ratings come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The organizations perform thorough crash tests, such as front, side, rear, and rollover crash tests.
Also, check the structural integrity of the vehicle, a significant component of crash energy absorption and displacement. Intelligent crumple zones and high-strength steel body construction ensure cabin integrity and help to safeguard occupants in severe crashes.
2. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
The introduction of driver-assistance technology has transformed the face of vehicle safety. Advanced driver assistance systems don’t just include airbags and seat belts.
They also include, among other things, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.
Advanced driver assistance systems use radar, cameras, and sensors to sweep for potential danger and notify the driver or take action independent of driver input.
3. Window Safety and Visibility
Far too easily written off, window design and construction are essential to both day-to-day safe driving and crash survivability.
For instance, polyvinyl butyral film, like Trosifol, offers laminated safety glass for automotive and architectural applications. It offers impact resistance for use in blast-resistant, burglary, bullet, and hurricane windows.
Other window-related safety considerations to be mindful of include the following:
Window shape and size: Cars with larger windows, narrower pillars, and good visibility angles minimize blind spots and make it easier to see pedestrians, cyclists, or other cars.
Power window safety: Make sure your car has anti-pinch sensors that will not allow the window to close on the hand of a child or the head of a pet.
Also, some performance cars possess UV-filtering and sound-absorbing glass that indirectly aids in driving comfort and focus by reducing glare and driver fatigue.
4. Tire Quality and Braking Systems
It’s easy to get distracted by a new car’s amenities and forget about what gets it from point A to point B: tires and brakes. They have a direct impact on your vehicle’s stopping and handling ability in an emergency.
Make sure your car has improved all-season or performance tires with adequate traction, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution that distributes braking force among wheels, and brake assist that augments stopping power during hard braking.
In addition, check for vehicles with electronic stability control and traction control, which both minimize skidding and loss of control.
5. Post-Collision Safety Features
Post-collision safety features won’t be able to prevent collisions from occurring, but can lessen the severity of injury and provide emergency personnel with a head start.
Look for features such as automatic crash notification systems, post-crash braking systems to prevent secondary crashes, fuel shut-off systems that reduce fire risk, and SOS switches mounted in the passenger compartment.
You should also consider cars with easily accessible emergency equipment, including trunk release levers and power window overrides in case the car gets flooded.
Purchasing a new vehicle means considering various things. While assessing the horsepower, technology, and style, don’t overlook the safety aspect.
By researching crash ratings, visibility, driver-assist technology, window construction, and brake construction, you can make an informed buying decision.
