Tips For Safe Car Buying
For most, when shopping for a new vehicle, safety is a high priority. These potential car owners comb through vehicle after vehicle to find one that is not only safe, but one that meets all of their needs. If you haven’t had the pleasure of buying a new car, know that if you want to get the most out of your vehicle, you have to do your research! As much as we would love to say that it’s a quick and easy task, we can’t. Now don’t confuse just buying a car to doing research before buying a car. You can easily go to a dealer and purchase the first car you see. But in these types of purchases, unless you are 100% sure it’s the car for you, due diligence is required.
In this time and age, it’s not just our teens drivers that we are wanting to keep safe, but our families as well. How do you go about choosing the safest car? While every car must pass certain federal safety standards before being allowed on the road, but know that cars are not created equal and some are safer than others. Thankfully, many car manufacturers produce cars that have other safety features than the required minimums. As you being to look for your dream car, keep these features in mind as they will help protect your love ones. Here are several tips for purchasing a safe car.
Vehicle size and weight
A smaller and light weight vehicle is not as safe as a larger and heavier vehicle. But this doesn’t mean that a car the size of a boat is a great choice either. The larger the car, the harder it is to handle. Unless you are comfortable driving a larger vehicle and taking the time to adjust to it, a medium size vehicle is a great option. It’s much safer than the small car, but can be easier to drive.
Restraint systems
In almost all new cars, restraints like seat belts, airbags, and head restraints are mandatory. Each of these systems work together to provide the most protection in an accident. Remember to always where your seat belt no matter the distance. If you were in an accident and were not wearing your seatbelt, the chances of ejection or slamming into something hard is greater.
Anti-lock brakes
Anti-lock brakes are great in a situation where you must apply the brakes…hard. What this system does is keep the breaks from locking up and causing the card to skid. Thus allowing you to have more control of the car. Cars with this system allow the brakes to automatically pump, even though you are breaking hard.
Running and adaptive headlights
Daytime running lights allow the vehicle to be more visible to oncoming drivers. These types of headlights are turned on automatically, so it’s a great way to help prevent an accident while not having to remember that they are there. In addition, we are starting to see more vehicles with adaptive headlights that shift the beams direction as you steer. This allows you to see better on curves in the dark.
Crash prevention systems
There are two main types of crash prevention systems that are being used in cars: forward collision warning and autobrake. The collision warnings alert you when you get too close to a car so you can put enough space between the cars to avoid an accident. Other system will brake automatically if you don’t react quickly. These systems are beginning to gain popularity as they aid in the prevention of front based crashes.
In the end, you will have the ultimate decision in purchasing your vehicle, but as you decide keep safety in mind. You want to be able to drive the car for as long and safely as possible!