6 Safety Features To Look Out For When Buying A New Car

Updated Jul 04, 2018 | Same topic: Survive driving in the Philippines

Because safety is the priority.

I don’t know about everyone else, but I have always been a believer and a strong advocate of prioritizing safety in almost everything. I always try to check if something is safe for me and my family, even in the littlest of things.

Just like in food – I’ve already had two near-death experiences with dirty food. So I make sure that I choose to eat with my family in a restaurant known for its cleanliness both in food preparation and in the environment itself. Place – well, I always make sure that the place we go to is someplace where there are much fewer people so it’s easy to get out if necessary (during emergency situations). I

also exercise safety with the products we use at home, making sure that all toxic things are not accessible to my young son and I also make sure that I am equipped with all the medicines that family needs. Traveling wise, I always keep a medicine bag with me packed with all first aid things. Call me paranoid, but it’s better to be prepared than run around like a headless chicken when the situation calls for it.

A famkily's safe driving

Think about what you really need to have in the car: looks or safety

Speaking of traveling, as I have written too many times before, one of our family’s favorite things is to travel. Out of town, out of the country, whichever we can afford. We feel most relaxed when we take a long drive out of town may it be to the mountains and hot springs of Mt. Makiling, or to the beautiful sunset on the beaches of Batangas. As a family, we choose to use our car during these travels rather than ride a bus. Why? Because we feel that we are much more in control of our speed, our time and our pace. This way, we can ensure that our family is safer.

If you are a potential car buyer, you should make sure that you don’t only look for fancy, cool cars. You should not only look after the color, the mag wheels, how flashy your future car would look. Besides fuel efficiency, a question you should ask yourself before making a decision on which car would you buy: “Am I going to be safe in this car?” I think it’s also best to consider your car safety features rather than focus on the appearance.

This article on Philkotse.com today will give you 3 good reasons why safety features are important factors to consider when buying a new car as well as 6 essential safety features you should have in your next vehicle.

>>> Click to find more useful tips for safe driving

1. Why is Car Safety Important?

It is important for car buyers to be aware of car safety before anything else.

  • Knowing car safety features can save you and your family’s lives in dangerous situations like the car going out of control, or a head-on collision.
  • Knowing what safety features to look for in a car can help you make a reliable decision about which car you think would be safest for your family.
  • Knowing that your car is safe can give you peace of mind. Another way to know this is to watch some car crash test videos or search for cars with the best crash test rating.

2. The Safety Features You Should Look For in Your Next Car

2.1. Seatbelt

This is the most basic thing that every car should have. Seatbelts are designed to clasp the driver and passengers to their seats in case of impact. Instead of hitting the windshield or the driver and front passenger seat, they should all be fastened securely by using their seatbelt properly.

>>> Click to learn more about seat belts safety: 5 things you need to know

Fasten seat belts

Seatbelts can save lives!

Sometimes, we neglect to fasten our seatbelts because we are too much at ease that nothing will happen to us as we are in control of our car. However, no matter how we avoid it, accidents can happen. Please take an extra effort of reminding your passengers that they need to wear their seatbelts for their own safety.

2.2. Airbags

This is the second most important safety feature you should look out for in buying a car. Older models are unfortunate not to have this feature, but if you are buying your first car today, you’re lucky enough to know that you will have a great option of securing an airbag for extra safety.

Airbags provide ample cushion and restraint in cases of a crash and sudden impact. Having airbags can reduce the risk of a crash and impact-related injuries, giving you more protection.

>>> Read more: Airbags – Things you might not know

An airbag deployed in a car

Airbags catch you first before you hit anything in front of you during a car crash

2.3. ABS or Anti-Locking Brake System

This feature enables the driver to still be in control of the car despite doing a short sudden stop. It will prevent the car wheels from locking whenever we make a strong and sudden step on the brakes. It will prevent car skidding as the driver is still in control of the steering wheel.

Brake System operation

How Anti-Locking Brake System Works

2.4. ESC or Electronic Stability Control

This is a safety feature that detects if the car tires are losing grip to the road. If it detects this kind of situation, it automatically applies breaks to avoid the car skidding down the road and giving the driver complete control of the car.

ESC system

ESC allows the driver to safely maneuver the car even on slippery roads

2.5. Crumple Zones

Car manufacturers are now required to include crumple zones in the car composition to give more protection to the passengers. Crumple Zones are front and rear parts of the car the absorb most of the impact during a car crash or a car collision. They will function as the ‘shock absorber’ rather than the impact going directly to the car’s body and into the passengers.

Crumple Zones

Where crumple zones are located on a vehicle

2.6. Strong Car Structure

This differs from every brand of vehicle, but make sure you do your homework by researching which car brands offer the best car shell that can protect you during accidents. The purpose of this feature is it can force the passengers away from the impact and absorb as much force as it can instead.

Amidst all of these safety features, the most important thing we need to do is to take extra caution when driving. Let’s make sure that we don’t go too fast, so there will fewer chances of crashing and getting hit from the back by sudden breaks. Also, let’s make sure that we are fully aware and alert to our surroundings, our eyes and mind on the road all the time. Nothing beats accident prevention.

>>> More helpful tips to stay safety behind the wheel:

Ivy Kristia Padura

Ivy Kristia Padura

Author

Ivy is one of the first Philkotse's content writers. She finds joy in sharing her driving tips, particular for dealing with heavy traffic in Metro Manila, with other fellow drivers.

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