Car accidents cause nearly 1.3 million deaths annually, and injure or disable an additional 20-50 million people. Further, even a minor collision with no injuries is costly and stressful for everyone involved. Naturally, most of us drive as safely as we can, but sometimes that’s not enough.
So how can more accidents be prevented?
Fortunately, there are a number of new safety features available in late-model cars that can help people to avoid more car accidents. Here are some of the most helpful new features, and several recommended car models that have excellent safety ratings and many available safety features.
The Features You Need
Automatic Emergency Braking. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems detect an impending crash, and if the driver’s response is not sufficient to avoid the crash, the system will apply the brakes to prevent or reduce the speed of the crash.
Most AEB systems are meant to prevent forward crashes, but some cars also feature rear AEB systems, which detect an impending collision when the car is in reverse.
Forward-Collision Warning. Forward collision warning systems scan the road ahead, and warn the driver if he or she is about to crash into a stopped or slower-moving car. Some systems can also detect other objects such as debris or animals.
Blind-spot Warning. Blind spot warning (BSW) detects vehicles that are alongside the car and not visible, and alert the driver that it is unsafe to merge or change lanes. A BSW system may also provide an additional warning if the driver uses the turn signal when a car is present in the signaled lane.
Lane-Departure Warning. Lane departure warning systems warn the driver if the car is drifting out of the lane, typically through visual, vibration, or sound warnings. Lane departure warning systems rely upon road markings to detect the lane boundary, so are not as helpful on poorly marked roads.
Cars with the Best Safety Features
When selecting a new car, it’s important to look at the car’s overall safety rating as well as the available safety features. We’ve highlighted a few models that not only have excellent safety ratings and features, but are also affordable.
Mazda3. The Mazda3 is an affordable compact with a U.S. News safety score of 9.7/10. Every model is equipped with a backup camera. Other available safety features include blind spot warning systems, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and adaptive headlamps and cruise control.
Honda Accord. The Honda Accord has an impressive US News 9.6 safety rating. The Accord offers a safety enhancement package, which includes forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane keep assist.
Toyota Camry. Scoring a 9.3 overall safety rating, the Toyota Camry is the most popular passenger car in the US, and also has some of the best safety features available. The Camry has optional automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and rear cross traffic alert systems. Additionally, the Camry’s collision avoidance system has higher ratings than most of the other models we’ve discussed.
Honda CR-V. The Honda CR-V comes in at a 9.7 safety rating. The CR-V also offers many safety features that come standard on all but the very base model. These safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and a driver attention model to avoid distracted driving.
Sometimes, even if you’re doing everything you can to stay safe and avoid accidents, you can get into an accident due to another’s actions. If you find yourself injured due to this type of situation, do not hesitate to reach out.
About the Author:
Since 1994, seasoned litigation and trial lawyer Anthony B. White has helped thousands of accident victims seek damages due to injuries sustained as a result of another party’s negligence. Included in America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals and selected to the 2012, 2013, and 2014 editions of Florida Super Lawyers, Mr. White specializes in car accidents, insurance disputes, wrongful death, product liability, and medical malpractice cases. He is a longstanding member of the Florida Justice Association and the American Association for Justice and currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Broward County Justice Association.