Safety Features of a Car

When you purchase an automobile, it's important to evaluate its safety features. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides a 5-Star Safety Rating System to help consumers purchase safer vehicles. Vehicle safety has evolved significantly over the years with new safety systems and technology. From seat belts and lights to advanced safety features, every auto safety aspect is equally important to help drivers avoid accidents on the road. Even seat belt design is still being scrutinized and innovated – nothing is left to chance.

Safety with Air Bags

Air bags save thousands of lives every year, which makes them an important safety feature in your car. However, air bags should be considered only as a supplemental safety device, and they are not a substitute for other essential features such as seat belts. Children below the age of 13 must be placed securely in the rear seat, or the air bag switch must be turned off if the child is sitting in the front seat.

Frontal Air Bags

If your vehicle sustains a moderate to severe frontal crash, the frontal air bags will inflate to prevent the occupants from hitting the interior body of the vehicle (certainly the windshield). However, if the occupant is without a seat belt or positioned too close to the air bag module at the time of deployment, it can cause serious injuries or death.

Frontal air bags may not be effective in case of side impacts, rear end crashes or rollovers. The first or second generation frontal air bags, which are also called depowered air bags, have been standard equipment in all passenger cars since 1998 and all SUVs, vans, and trucks since 1999. Third generation or advanced frontal air bags have been introduced from the model year 2004 onwards.

Side Air Bags (SABs)

Side air bags are designed to protect your head and chest in case of a major car crash involving a side impact. Some of the key side air bags include the chest SABs, head SABs, and a combination of chest and head SABs. Chest SABs are placed in the side of the seat or in the car door. They are designed to protect an adult’s torso or chest in a major side impact crash. Vehicles can be fitted with both frontal and combo side air bags for maximum protection.

Seat Belts for Car Safety

An NHTSA research report says that each year about 13,000 lives are saved in the United States due to seat belts. The NHTSA further estimates that about 7,000 more car accident fatalities in the U.S. could be avoided each year if the victims had been wearing seat belts. It is amazing that people still do not wear their seat belts knowing they will be reaching moderate to high speeds and some folks neglect to wear their seat belts on the highway! Seat belts can reduce the risk of death for a car occupant in the front seat by about 50 percent. A typical seat belt includes a lap belt that rests over the user’s pelvis, and a shoulder belt that extends across the chest. Both belt sections are secured firmly to the car’s frame in order to hold the passengers in their seats when physical forces beyond their control occur.

When the belt is worn appropriately, it will exert maximum stopping force to the rib cage area and the pelvis, which are comparatively stronger parts of the human body. The force does not concentrate on a selective area because the belts extend across a fairly wide section of the body. The seat belt webbing is produced with a material that is slightly flexible and can stretch a little. This ensures that the stop is never too abrupt to cause internal injury.