5 Safety Features to Look for When Buying Your Next Car

Did you know that in 2020, 3,142 people were killed and almost 324,000 people were injured in car accidents involving distracted drivers?

It’s a sad reality that some drivers will, despite public awareness campaigns and potential legal penalties, allow themselves to get distracted behind the wheel. When you’re driving, it’s best to focus on the task at hand. Using your smartphone while doing so is a disaster waiting to happen.

There’s no substitute for common sense. But new and late-model cars available today come with technology designed to keep you, other drivers, and pedestrians safe.

Consider these safety features when buying a new or used car. Combined with good driving habits, these technologies can make a big difference when it comes to safety on the road.

1. Blind Spot Monitoring

One safety technology you should look for is blind spot monitoring. Some cars offer better all-around visibility than others, but blind spot monitoring will keep you safer, whether the vehicle you buy offers good visibility or less-than-optimal visibility.

This technology uses ultrasonic sensors affixed to the sides and rear bumper of the car to keep tabs on other vehicles behind or beside you on the roadway. If a car enters your vehicle’s blind spot, you’ll get an alert on a display screen or other means.

2. Forward Collision Warning

Another safety technology you can get in new and late-model cars is forward collision warning. A lot of accidents are caused by vehicles that rear-end other vehicles. But forward collision warning technology can prevent such collisions from happening. It relies on radar, cameras, or lenses to detect vehicles, pedestrians, or things in front of your car. You’ll get a warning, usually audibly or visually, that’ll give you advance notice of a possible collision.

3. Lane Departure Warning

When looking for a new or used car, truck, van, or SUV, you should also ensure it has lane departure warning technology. A vehicle equipped with this vital safety technology will have a front-mounted camera to track where your vehicle is in relation to the lane markers. If your car gets too close to one of the lane markers, the vehicle will issue a warning.

4. Traffic Sign Recognition

You may miss the occasional traffic sign even if you’re an observant and cautious driver. That’s where traffic stop recognition technology comes into the picture. It employs a forward-facing camera to identify road signs. So, if traffic signs are telling you to stop, yield to traffic, or slow down, you won’t have to worry about missing them and getting into trouble. The technology will alert you so that you don’t inadvertently pass without observing the command.

5. Driver Attention Monitor

Driver attention monitor technology is essential since it will ensure you pay attention. While getting a vehicle with semi-autonomous driving capability is possible, it’s still important to be aware of what’s happening around you.

With driver attention monitor technology, your car will track your alertness by checking your head position, eyelid movement, or eye movement. If the system finds that you’re not paying attention, it will alert you. It can, for instance, disengage semi-autonomous driving if it finds you’re not tuned in. In such a case, you’ll have to control the vehicle completely.

Safety technology is great. But, as was mentioned above, there’s no substitute for responsible driving. After all, an over-reliance on technology can give a false sense of confidence. If you’re ever injured in an accident or charged after someone else is injured in an accident you were involved in, you should consult a personal injury lawyer to learn your rights. It’s not something you want to think about, but mishaps on the roadway occur more often than you might think.

Even so, the safety technology listed above are options you should insist on if you’re in the market for a new or late-model car. There’s no denying that good driving habits and a vehicle equipped with the latest safety technology can keep you and others safer on the roads.