Since cars have been around, car safety has evolved. In 50 years alone, car structure alone has become a lot more solid. Watch this video, for example, to see the difference in safety that two Chevys 50 years apart have.
Car accidents are sometimes unavoidable – You can be the best driver, as well as drive defensively, but at times situations can be out of your control. Luckily, car technology has constantly gotten better. There is technology that has been around for a while that you need to make sure comes in your car:
Air Bags
Air bags have been standard on new cars since 1998, even though plenty of cars had them before that date. In the case of a crash, it takes just a few milliseconds for the air bags to deploy, thus creating a barrier that can shield one from the most devastating parts of the crash.
Anti Lock Brakes (ABS)
This feature allows the wheels to keep turning during braking. Before ABS came along, wheels would frequently lock, thus making it impossible to steer, especially when it came to not dry surfaces. It would create more of a hazard. ABS allows the driver to retain control while the system does the rapid braking automatically.
Traction Control
This is a life-saver in wet, snowy, and icy weather. It’s also very beneficial when accelerating with high-horsepower cars. It allows for one to stay on course easier, and helps prevent sliding and skidding. It has since become standard in 2012 vehicles and up.
In more recent years, there have been a couple cool innovations that make driving just that much more safer:
Blind Spot Detection
Blind spot detection is especially useful on freeways, because it essentially simulates looking over your shoulder when wanting to change lanes. When someone is driving in your blind spots, or just passing by, you’ll get a little notification on the drivers side or passenger side mirror.
Backup Camera
This feature used to be standard in only luxury cars, but you’ll find a backup camera in many mid-range cars these days. It allows you to see behind you when backing up without having to strain your neck. It’s especially useful for backing up in parking lots where you may have been caught in between two large trucks.
Lastly, it goes without saying: Safety belts are there for a reason: Buckle up. Don’t fall in to the hype that they’re more dangerous because some people haven’t benefited from them. Those may be isolated incidents, but they have saved far more lives over the years.