Modern Car Safety Features You Should Check For

We all want a safe and reliable car that gets us where we need to go and that keeps us and our loved ones safe. We have come a long way since the early cars that has no seat belts or windshields and there are many amazing safety features that modern vehicles have. Here are some that you should check for when you are buying a new vehicle:

  • Auto Emergency Braking (AEB)– system automatically stops when something is in front of you
  • Forward collision warning– warning alt signals you that something is approaching
  • Curtain Airbags– airbags in the dashboard and side panels provide greater protection from injury
  • Electronic Stability Control– keeps vehicle balanced and reduces roll over risk
  • Active Cruise Control– advanced cruise control maintains safe tailing speeds
  • Traction Control– helps improve stopping ability in wet or icy conditions at moderate speeds
  • Antilock Braking System– reduces the chance of tire locking and skidding during hard stops
  • Brake Assist System– helps slow the vehicle down and keeps brakes from locking up
  • Adjustable Steering Column– makes it easier to find a comfortable driving position
  • Blindspot Warning System– alerts you if something is there when merging or changing lanes
  • Daytime Running Lights– headlines on during the day to improve visibility to other drivers
  • Fog Lamps– safety lights that are easier to see with when heavy fog conditions are present
  • Head Restraints All– cushions the head and prevents sever whiplash in event of a collision
  • Headup Display– display allows you to keep eyes more focused on the road rather than dashboard
  • Lanekeeping Assist– alerts you if you are slowly drifting into another lane rather than merging
  • Backup Assist Camera– shows live feed of what is behind you for easier backing up

 

Auto Accident Statistics

While these new safety features do make our roads safer than they were 10-20 years ago, many fatal auto accidents happen every year.

Here are some statistics from the Association for Safe International Road Travel:

Annual Global Road Crash Statistics

  • Nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year, on average 3,287 deaths a day.
  • An additional 20-50 million are injured or disabled.
  • More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among young adults ages 15-44.
  • Road traffic crashes rank as the 9th leading cause of death and account for 2.2% of all deaths globally.
  • Road crashes are the leading cause of death among young people ages 15-29, and the second leading cause of death worldwide among young people ages 5-14.
  • Each year nearly 400,000 people under 25 die on the world’s roads, on average over 1,000 a day.
  • Over 90% of all road fatalities occur in low and middle-income countries, which have less than half of the world’s vehicles.
  • Road crashes cost USD $518 billion globally, costing individual countries from 1-2% of their annual GDP.
  • Road crashes cost low and middle-income countries USD $65 billion annually, exceeding the total amount received in developmental assistance.
  • Unless action is taken, road traffic injuries are predicted to become the fifth leading cause of death by 2030.

 

Annual United States Road Crash Statistics

  • Over 37,000 people die in road crashes each year
  • An additional 2.35 million are injured or disabled
  • Over 1,600 children under 15 years of age die each year
  • Nearly 8,000 people are killed in crashes involving drivers ages 16-20
  • Road crashes cost the U.S. $230.6 billion per year, or an average of $820 per person
  • Road crashes are the single greatest annual cause of death of healthy U.S. citizens traveling abroad

 

Automobile Accidents

Automobile accidents are one of the most commonly seen personal injury cases today and they can involve drives, passengers, pedestrians, and any type of motor vehicle such as car, van, motorcycle, RV, ATV, or even boats. The innocent party involved in the accident will be the one filing the lawsuit against the guilty party that caused the accident. Many things will be taken into consideration during the case hearing- actions of both parties before, during, and after the incident; the evidence from the scene of the accident such as photos and police reports; all medical records for the injured party; the testimonies of both parties involved.  These cases can involve drivers hitting each other, drunk drivers, drivers hitting pedestrians, hit and run accidents and careless driving of RVs, ATV, and motorcycles among many other types of personal injury cases involving motor vehicles. Call us today to learn more about how to protect yourself!