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Top Safety Features in Cars That Could Save Your Life There was a time, many years ago, when tires had innertubes that burst, sending vehicles off the road, injuring, causing property damage, and even taking the lives of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Technology advanced, with seat belts, reinforced steel beams in doors, rollbars, airbags, vehicle crash crumple zones, and more. Cars became safer, and fewer serious injuries occurred. Traction control, popular in the 1980s, helped vehicle tires grip the road while vehicles were accelerating. Then in the 1990s, electronic stability control became widespread. It helped tires grip the road like traction control, and when the drivers applied the brakes, it helped prevent vehicles from slipping and sliding all over the road. Each generation of safety features has saved lives. Vehicle technology has advanced significantly over the past 80 years, and millions of people’s lives have improved vastly. Car accident attorney Los Angeles can attest that many people walked away from crashes because of the advanced technology. Although yesteryear’s widescale safety advancements helped save lives during car crashes, they did relatively little to help prevent crashes from occurring.
The Latest Vehicle Safety Advances The newest vehicle safety features help prevent crashes from occurring and save more lives in the process. They aren’t foolproof, but they’re a step in the right direction. •
Forward Collision Warning – Detects things in the vehicle’s path, like a pedestrian, and warns the driver that they may need to slow down or stop. Some systems also apply the vehicle brakes (automatic emergency braking) to avoid collisions and are more effective than simple warning systems.
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Lane Departure Warning – This is similar to the forward-collision warning system. The lane departure warning system notifies drivers when their vehicle is drifting into another lane. It’s convenient when drivers are dozing or not paying attention to the road. It uses road markers to identify a lane change, typically notifying the driver with a vibration steering wheel or driver’s seat or audible noise. Advanced vehicle systems will automatically correct the inadvertent lane change or brake the vehicle to prevent an accident. The lane departure warning system will disengage when the driver uses the car blinker.
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Adaptive Headlights – This is a relatively new system available on more recent and expensive vehicles. It shifts the headlights in the direction that the car is pointing. Adaptive headlights make it easier for drivers to see what is ahead when turning corners, especially on winding roads. Drivers find that it helps them to see animals, people, and parked cars to avoid collisions. Car accident lawyer Los Angeles California knows how valuable proper headlight illumination is to road safety.
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Adaptive Cruise Control – When first introduced, cruise control helped drivers maintain a constant speed on long roads without keeping their foot on the gas pedal. Adaptive cruise control works the same, except it allows the driver to set a preferred rate of speed and distance from the vehicle immediately in front of them. As driver speed changes and cars move in and out of the driver’s path, the adaptive cruise control readjusts the vehicle’s speed and distance.
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Blind-Spot Monitoring – No matter how many mirrors we have, there is always at least one or two spots around our vehicles that we cannot see. Blindspot monitoring utilizes radar and cameras to prevent drivers from running into other cars. Cars with this feature make an audible sound or flash one of the side mirror lights to notify drivers that a lane change is unsafe. Every avoided accident is one less phone call to a car crash lawyer Los Angeles.
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Drowsiness Detection – Late-night driving, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and extended trips can all make an otherwise pleasant trip go turn into a driver’s nightmare. Driver fatigue and boredom can make even a seasoned driver get into an accident. The drowsiness detection feature can notify drowsy drivers with audible noises, slight vehicle braking, tugs on the seatbelt, as well, as other warning cues.
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Windshield Displays – When drivers look down at the vehicle instrument panel to check speed, navigation systems, and other data, it poses an accident danger. Windshield displays help drivers keep their eyes on the road by projecting important driving information on the windshield where it is easy to see.
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Rear Mounted Radar Sensors and Cameras – All drivers know how dangerous it is to back their vehicles. We never know who or what may be hidden in the blind spots. Rear-facing cameras and bumper-mounted radar sensors help to detect stationary hazards or people moving nearby. Pedestrians, bicyclists, children, and other cars always seem to be in the path when we back up.
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Braking-Assist Technology – In emergencies, drivers rarely apply the brakes fast and hard enough to prevent accidents. Braking –assist solves that problem by recognizing how far away an object is and automatically increases brake pressure to avoid a collision.
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Parking Assist – It isn’t easy parking in a tight spot without hitting someone else’s car or trying to park while other vehicles zoom past. Park assist vehicles have sensors and cameras that guide a vehicle into a parking spot without causing any damage.
Will Car Safety Features Prevent Accidents? Technology isn’t perfect, and neither are drivers. Even with all of the safety features, drivers will still get into accidents. Besides, there will always be people who drive older cars that don’t have the latest vehicle safety technology. If you suffered injuries in a car accident, you could call a car crash lawyer Los Angeles for help and advice. M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers Call (855) 599-2987