Top Safety Features That Can Help Prevent Serious Collisions
Are you looking for ways to help keep yourself and your family safe from a serious crash?
Cars today come standard with an abundance of technology designed to avoid collisions altogether. The problem is that most people have no idea how these features work.
The issue?
Even with all these advancements… Car wrecks are still killing thousands of people each year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates 39,345 people died in traffic crashes in 2024.
That’s not right.
Sure, the numbers have come a long way from pandemic highs. However, total deaths are nowhere near where they should be, considering just how advanced technology is these days.
And the money lost to crashes isn’t getting a whole lot better either. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), collisions come with an estimated $340 billion price tag every year. That totals medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and legal costs.
And if you’re one of the unlucky people injured in a collision… Dealing with repairs, doctor visits, physical therapy, mounting bills, and work time lost can feel impossible. However, hiring a contingency fee lawyer can help. This type of attorney takes your case with zero fees required up front. If you win your case, you pay the attorney from the settlement proceeds. Partnering with a skilled Minneapolis auto accident attorney can ensure you receive every dollar you deserve rather than some lowball insurance company offer.
But nobody wants to crash. The goal is to prevent them from happening.
As with anything in life, accidents can be drastically reduced by arming yourself with knowledge. Let’s look at some of the safety features available on new vehicles that help avoid a collision before it happens.
You’re about to learn:
- Why Safety Features Are Important
- The 6 Best Safety Features That Help Avoid Crashes and Collisions
- Maintaining Your Vehicle Safety Features
Why Safety Features Can Help Avoid Crashes
The statistics don’t lie.
Road fatalities fell last year when compared to previous years… But they were still drastically higher than what the country experienced ten years ago. Human error causes countless accidents each year and will continue to do so. Distracted driving, speeding, and drunk driving are the leading causes of fatal accidents.
Speeding alone accounted for 29% of fatalities in 2023.
Humans make mistakes. That can’t be changed. But with the right safety technology, it’s possible to keep loved ones safe from harm.
Automatic emergency braking can:
Detect an imminent crash and apply the brakes for you. Blind spot technology alerts drivers when it’s not safe to merge. These systems are designed to protect you by either warning you about potential danger or taking matters into their own computers.
Help prevent collisions by recognizing danger before humans can.
6 Helpful Safety Features To Avoid Car Crashes
Remember, not every safety feature automatically prevents a crash. Some alert you to take action, while others take action for you. The most effective vehicles utilize both methods.
Automatic Emergency Braking
Here’s the number one collision safety feature.
Automatic emergency braking is a feature that alerts the driver when a crash is imminent, and if no action is taken by the driver, it applies the brakes on the vehicle.
Why should you care?
Collisions with stopped or slow-moving vehicles accounted for 21% of all fatal crashes in 2023. Having AEB takes away human error and can help avoid rear-ending another vehicle.
A bill is currently going through Congress, making the AEB standard on all vehicles sold in the United States starting in 2029.
Forward Collision Warning
Forward collision warning is another system that works hand in hand with automatic braking. FCW monitors the road ahead for potential collisions and alerts the driver with visuals and audio that a crash is imminent.
Giving the driver that split second needed to react could be the difference between life and death.
Lane Departure Warning And Lane Keeping Assist
Lane drifting happens. Drivers do it from time to time. But did you know there are safety systems to help keep you inside your lane?
Lane departure warning alerts you when you begin to move out of your lane. Lane Keeping Assist takes it a step further by steering your car back into position.
Both of these technologies work together to avoid head-on and side-swipe collisions.
Blind Spot Detection
This one was touched on earlier, but it’s that important.
Blind Spot Detection uses radar sensors to warn drivers when there is a vehicle in their blind spot.
When the indicator light on your side mirror comes on, that means someone’s there. Some systems will automatically move the steering wheel back in position if you attempt to merge into the blind spot.
Adaptive Cruise Control
Typical cruise control keeps your car at one constant speed. However, adaptive cruise control will adjust how fast you’re going based on traffic conditions. Traffic slows down, so does your car. Lane becoming clear? Your vehicle speeds back up to the original speed you set.
This keeps the distance between you and the car ahead in check. It’s extremely useful when riding on long stretches of highway where people tend to get tired or let their distances get out of control.
Electronic Stability Control
This is a standard that goes unnoticed by many drivers.
ESC systems will detect if you begin to lose control of your car and automatically apply brakes to individual wheels to help your vehicle correct itself.
ESC is great for:
- Losing control in rain or snow
- Taking a corner too quickly
- Correcting oversteering
- Swerving to avoid an accident
ESC has been required on all vehicles since 2012, but if you have an older vehicle. It might be worth looking into.
Maintaining Your Vehicle Safety Technology
Driving safely isn’t enough. You have to maintain your car to ensure your safety features are working when you need them to, while also helping preserve the value and reliability of your vehicle alongside the added support of an extended auto warranty.
Clean your sensors and cameras regularly. Dirt, snow, and grime can all block the sensors that allow these features to function. Wipe them down at your next rest stop.
Don’t turn off your safety alerts. Lane departure warnings can be annoying. But they’re there for a reason. Keep them activated.
Keep your software updated. Technology is the heart and soul of these systems. Make sure your software is up-to-date so your safety technology can perform as intended.
Read your owner’s manual. This can’t be stressed enough. How your vehicle’s safety technology works is different for every brand and model. Read the manual so you can understand how to use your vehicle’s technology correctly.
Wrapping Things Up: Safe Drivers Make Safe Drivers
Here’s the takeaway. Car safety technology has come such a long way in the last decade. Automatic braking, lane assist, and blind spot detection; these features are helping save lives on the road every single day.
But…
Technology can only do so much to prevent collisions. If you’re not paying attention or properly maintaining your vehicle, these features are useless.
At the end of the day, safety comes down to you. So please, drive safely.
