Buying a used requires one to dedicate enough time researching on the safety of any prospectives. Although most new car owners concentrate much on price and performance, every experienced car owner would tell you that car safety largely determines how long you will stick with it.
Used cars indeed saves some dollars. Were it not so, probably the used car industry would not have thrived in the last few decades. However, nobody would trade any amount of dollars with their own lives and those of their loved ones. As such, safety unquestionably becomes the most important element when purchasing a used car.
This article is to help you pause and think about safety the next time you are visiting a used car dealership. We have highlighted eight most crucial safety features to inspect before writing that check.
What are Safety Features?
Most car manufacturers are incorporating advanced systems in modern cars to help improve their drivability.
You cannot ignore the position of the driver during a car crash. Airbags have played a big role in ensuring the driver is covered just enough during a high-impact scenario, while the seat belts have been credited for most car crash survivals.
What Essential Safety Features Should a Car Have?
You should not be in a hurry when purchasing a used car. As far as safety features are concerned, you will have to visit favorite used car dealerships in Jackson MI a few times just to ensure that the features are as listed. You might have to have your mechanic accompany you in this particular process.
In general, the safety features you should look for in a used car include:
- Anti-Lock Braking System
Roads are unpredictable, and most of them leave you and other road users exposed to significant amount of danger. An anti-lock braking system, ABS, comes in handy whenever you want to make an emergency stop.
Under normal circumstances, applying too much pressure on the brakes will send your car skidding off the road. An anti-lock braking system control the amount of pressure going into each individual wheel after you hit the brakes hard.
Therefore, an ABS system prevents the wheels from locking up and significantly reduces the braking distance.
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) systems are like navigators in a race car. Intrinsically, ADAS helps with automatic emergency braking and cruise control, which increases fuel efficiency and reduces the chances of crashing.
- Collision Warning
Modern cars have complex networks of advanced sensors and microprocessors, which manufacturers feed sophisticated algorithms to predict and prevent a possible crash.
Hence, the car calculates the approaching speed and distance between the car in front using cameras, sensors, and radar systems.
If there is a possibility of a crash, the car will signal you via a beeping or voice cues, and engage automatic emergency braking if you delay your response.
- Airbags
Airbags are passive safety features that deploy immediately when your car crashes. As such, the airbags shield you against your car’s hard surfaces, reducing the overall injuries sustained.
- Electronic Stability Control
An ESC (Electronic Stability Control) system is similar to having an assistant driver, in that, it adjusts power and acceleration in different wheels when you lose control of your car.
In general, ESC systems monitor your steering behavior, acceleration, and speed in actual time to learn your cruising behavior.
- Seat Belts
Since their invention, seat belts have helped save a large number of lives in road accidents.
Basically, a seat belt straps you to your car seat and prevents you from flying through the windshield in case of a crash.
Additionally, seat belts reduce the impact of an accident by distributing the forces to your body’s strongest parts, such as the shoulders.
- Rear Parking Assistant
This feature has brought some fun in parking. With the monitor that shows you the car’s surrounding, parking the car is somewhat hassle-free. The fact that the manufacturers have automated this process makes it even more safe and predictable.
- Child-Lock and Seat Anchors
A child-lock prevents your car’s back doors from opening from the inside. In addition to the child-lock feature, manufactures have installed seat anchors to ensure the child remains safely trapped on their car seats.
Conclusion
We expect more safety features as the technology advances. The next time you plan to buy a used car, ensure you spend enough time verifying the above safety mechanisms.