Car manufacturers know that those shopping for cars today want vehicles that will keep them safe on the road. This includes trucks, SUVs and even vans too. Whether you spend a lot of time on the road for work or running around town with your kids, you want to feel as safe as possible each time that you slide behind the wheel. Knowing what some of the top safety features are and what those features do will help you find a great car when you start your search.
Airbags
Most auto manufacturers include more than one type of airbag in new vehicles. An airbag is a hidden bag inside your vehicle. When you are in an accident, the vehicle detects the collision and causes the bag to fill with air and then deploy. This adds some cushioning that keeps you safe. Front airbags will keep you and the person in the passenger’s seat from banging your heads against the dash or the windshield. Other airbags may be in the backseat and along the sides of the vehicle.
Lane Departure Warning
Have you ever found yourself distracted while driving and slowly drifting towards a different lane? If you take your eyes off the road for just a second to talk to someone in the backseat or to check your phone, you risk your car drifting in the direction that you looked. This can result in an accident where you swipe a vehicle in that lane. A lane departure warning is an alert that many vehicles now have. It tells you instantly when you’re about to depart from your land and drift into another to prevent an accident from occurring.
Anti-Lock Brakes
One of the top safety features to look for today is an anti-lock braking system, which now comes standard on most vehicles. These systems keep your brakes from locking up when you need to come to a complete stop, which will help you stay safer on the road. When another vehicle comes to a sudden stop in front of you, you’ll need to slam on your brakes. With other systems, you risk the brakes locking in place and allowing you to slide right into that car. These systems will also keep the brakes from locking up when you stop suddenly on icy or wet roads.
Rear Cameras
Some drivers think that they do not need rear cameras because they can use the mirrors on their vehicles, but those mirrors do not give you a clear view of everything around your car. Even if you tilt the mirror on your windshield and adjust those on the side, you may still have a hard time seeing anything behind you. This can include people who move back and forth and solid objects that do not move. Rear cameras help you keep an eye out for any hazards or obstacles that might get in your way when backing up.
All-Wheel Drive
When shopping for a new car, you need to consider different things like whether these vehicles have a four-wheel drive or an all-wheel drive. A four-wheel drive vehicle is one suitable for driving in more rugged conditions, including driving on dirt roads and wet roads. Most drivers will prefer an all-wheel system that allows them to tackle different types of road conditions. These vehicles have a transmission that essentially changes and adjusts itself as needed to help you drive across any type of road. An all-wheel drive transmission is helpful when driving in the snow and ice too.
Electronic Stability Control
If you drive on roads that are slick or wet just a few times a year, you’ll appreciate a vehicle that comes with electronic stability control. This is a type of technology that reduces the risk of your car skidding across that wet surface. Mercedes-Benz and BMW were two of the first auto manufacturers to release cars with this feature, but it now comes standard on models from companies like Ford and Toyota. Also called ESC, it actually monitors the way you drive and kicks in when it notices a lack of traction to keep you on track and to prevent your car from sliding off the road.
Collision Warning
Drivers will also want to look for vehicles that come with a collision warning alert. If you ever tried to change lanes without knowing what was in your blind spot before, you know how a near collision can get your heart racing and leave you uncomfortable behind the wheel. Auto manufacturers use collision warning systems to increase your safety and to reduce the number of collisions that occur. A simple alert lets you know when a collision may occur and helps you react before an accident can happen.
Auto loan companies make it easy for those with bad credit, poor credit or no credit to afford cars that fit their budgets. You can even use a loan to build your credit back up and to increase your credit score. No matter what company you work with, you can get a great car with some of these top safety features.
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