Leather seats, satellite radio, sunroofs, cup holders, and paint color are some of the most sought-after features in new cars.
These are also some “flashier” features that attract buyers to certain vehicles. Ultimately, though, the job of any car is to get you from Point A to Point B — and to do it safely.
Today, car manufacturers do a great job highlighting some of the most important safety features. Some of these involve advanced technology that helps keep people safe on the road.
But, with so much information out there — and so many cars to choose from — it can be hard to discern which safety features are most important. When you’re searching for a new car, try to get one that has most of the following safety features.
The great news is that some of these features not only keep you safe but keep you comfortable and enjoying your ride, too.
Hands-Free Connectivity
Almost everyone today has a smartphone. While it’s great that they can help power our lives, even while driving, it can be very unsafe, too.
According to the National Safety Council, one-quarter of all car accidents in America is caused by someone texting while driving. Almost 400,000 injuries happen every year because of texting while driving. And 1.6 million crashes total is caused by a driver using a cellphone while driving every year.
A great feature that many cars offer today is hands-free connectivity. This goes slightly beyond simple Bluetooth connectivity.
Through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you can connect your smartphone directly to the car, and have all your features available to you. The voice-activated function means you can get directions, make a call or respond to a text without taking your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.
Driving Warnings
New technology can also assist drivers while they’re on the road. The car can give the driver a notification if another car is in their blind spot or if they are veering out of their lane.
Blind-spot monitors are on many new cars today. When your car detects another vehicle entering your blind spot, it illuminates a light on your side mirrors. That indicates to you that it is not safe to change lanes on a highway.
Another valuable feature is lane departure warnings. When the car senses you are veering out of your lane, it will either beep, vibrate your steering wheel, or both to alert you.
Both of these warning systems help make driving much safer. They can keep you aware of your surroundings and focused, even if you’re distracted for a second.
Airbags
Every new car today is required to have airbags. These deploy when a collision occurs, serving as a cushion to protect your body from hitting parts of the car.
Airbags should be located in the parts of the car with the highest impact. This includes on the dashboard, in the steering wheel, and on the sides of the car as well.
Some newer cars have side curtain airbags that come down from the top of the car to shield you from hitting the windows. These also help protect you from the glass if the window is shattered.
One of the newest safety features turns off the airbags when no one is present in a passenger seat, or when a child is sitting in the front seat. Sensors can determine when this occurs, and prevent the airbags from deploying.
As with any safety feature, you want to make sure that there are no recalls on the car’s airbags. Safety features that don’t work properly will do you no good.
Brakes
Antilock brakes are one of those safety features that are coming standard on almost all vehicles now. This feature prevents your wheels from locking if you slam on the brakes too quickly.
If the wheels were to lock, it would allow your vehicle to spin if it were on a slippery surface. If this happens, it would be next to impossible to steer.
The ABS feature will “pulse” braking on each wheel when you brake hard to prevent this from happening. It helps to keep you in control at all times.
Another newer safety feature is called Automatic Emergency Braking. The AEB system will apply your brakes automatically if you don’t do it in time.
A sensor on the car will determine if you’re too close to a vehicle in front of you and traveling too fast. If you don’t apply the brake yourself, the car will do it for you to help prevent a collision.
Tires
Good, quality tires are one of the most important safety features of your car. You may not think of your tires this way, but they are extremely important.
Your tires need solid tread to keep in contact with the road. If your tires’ tread is worn down, it makes it much harder for them to grip the road. This can create a very dangerous situation in slippery road conditions.
If your tires don’t have enough air in them, it could lead to a blown-out tire. Some new cars have a tire pressure monitor built-in. Sensors in the tires determine the current tire pressure and compare it to the car’s optimal tire pressure. If your tire pressure is off, the car will alert you that you need to put air in your tires.
Stay Safe and Save Money
Staying safe on the road should be the most important thing you consider when you’re buying a new car. Manufacturers today have built-in exceptional safety features for their new cars.
While safety is certainly the number one concern, it’s also important to note that these safety features can save you money, too.
The safer your car is, the less expensive it is to insure. That’s a nice bonus to consider when you’re browsing safety features on new cars.
At Signature Insurance, we can help you determine which safety features can result in the biggest auto insurance savings. Contact us today to find out more and to get a free quote.