Passive Safety - Active Safety

Passive Safety Features - Passive safety features help drivers and passengers stay alive and uninjured in a crash.  Size is a safety feature: bigger is safer.  In relation to their numbers on the road, small cars account for more than twice as many deaths as large cars.

Restraint systems are also crucial.  Safety belts are the best safety device ever developed for the automobile.  First installed in the 1950s, they have been mandatory equipment since 1967.  Initial use was low (20% in 1970), but education and legislation increased their usage to over 70% by 1987.  Modern restraints have automatic seat-belt pre-tensioners to pick up the slack and stretch that occurs in an accident, providing better occupant protection and additional space for the airbag deployment.  It's important to remember that even though airbags help reduce serious injuries, safety belts are still needed for full protection. 

Seat belts and airbags work together in a collision.  Driver and passenger-side airbags are now standard equipment on every new motor vehicle sold in the US.  Most used cars made after 1996 have them as well.  Side-impact airbags greatly increase protection.  Most European automakers offer them as standard equipment, and most Asian and domestic manufacturers offer them on their more expensive models.  Despite some bad press, airbags save thousands of lives every year.  Manufacturers have reintroduced the two-stage airbag (designed at GM in 1970) to avoid potential injuries to children and small adults from cheaper one-stage designs.  It's still vital, however, that children ride in the back seat of any motor vehicle.  

(A word about disconnecting airbags.  Babies or children under 4' 7" should NEVER ride in the front seat of a vehicle because rapidly inflating airbags can severly injure or kill small front seat occupants.  If there's a child in your future and you have a two-seater, ask your dealer to install a disconnect switch for the passenger-side airbag.  You don't want it permanently disconnected; airbags DO save adult lives.)  

Most automobile headrests provide little protection in rear-end accidents.  European automobiles rate far better than domestic or Asian models in this area (see Crashtest.com for head restraint ratings for most new and used vehicles).  The federal government required their installation in 1967, but haven't provided standards for their successful implementation.   An effective headrest is one that's  directly behind the centerline of the head and positioned no more than a couple of inches away.  Be aware that some seating options change the size and style of head restraint.

Structural integrity is another important component of passive safety.  The US Department of Transportation requires that the doors and passenger compartments of automobiles made after 1996 meet minimal side impact standards.  The legislation doesn't apply to light trucks (minivans, pickups, SUVs), but most manufacturers of even these vehicles have complied with the law.

Active Safety Features - Active safety features help drivers avoid accidents.  A vehicle's tires, brakes, handling, acceleration, and visibility all make important contributions to active crash avoidance. 

The most important safety items on a car are the tires.  Think about it: they're all that connects your vehicle to the road.  A good set of tires can make a huge difference to the way a car responds to emergency maneuvers.  Tire quality also noticeably affects the way a car handles.  Sport touring tires have much more grip than regular tires, although their softer compounds don't last as long.

Anti-lock brakes (ABS) are an often-misunderstood active safety feature.  ABS  helps you stop shorter and maintain steering control while braking, especially on slippery surfaces.  Take time to understand how it works because in an abrupt stop, ABS feels noticeably different.  With regular brakes, sudden stops tend to lock up the brakes, causing a skid.  Anti-lock brakes sense when a wheel is locked and electronically pump the brakes ten times faster than you could do it, making a ratcheting noise and a vibration in the brake pedal.  Old braking techniques must be unlearned in order to use ABS effectively.  In a panic stop, depress the brake pedal once, and hold it down firmly.  Do not pump the pedal as you normally would, because that defeats the system.  To reiterate: antilock brakes eliminate the need for pedal pumping during panic stops or while braking during wet or icy conditions. 

Traction Control is a worthwhile option that improves traction and directional stability on slippery roads, using a combination of electronics, drive train control, and ABS.  Some systems adjust engine power output while gently applying the brakes to particular wheels during acceleration and cornering.  BMW, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz offer new electronic stability-control systems on their higher-priced models.  These systems help stabilize a vehicle's handling when it's pushed to the limits.  Look for these systems to appear on less expensive models in the near future.

Preferred & Optional Equipment is on the next page >

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