Anti Lock Brakes or ABS

The primary purpose of anti-lock brakes is to prevent a car's wheels from locking during panic braking.   By allowing the
car to slow in a more controlled manner, the driver can often maintain better steering control and avoid an accident. 
There is a bit of physics behind ABS design too.  But let's avoid the discussion of static friction and summarize this point
by saying that ABS allow cars to slow down faster than does "skidding."

All new cars sold today with ABS have four-wheel anti-lock breaks.  Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and light truck are sold
with either two-wheel (rear wheels) or four-wheel ABS.

Electronic Stability Control or ESC

Electronic Stability Control is designed to help drivers to maintain control of their cars during times of intense steering
maneuvers.  ESC helps by preventing a car from spinning out by constantly monitoring and applying braking force to one
or more wheels as needed.

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems use a warning light on the dashboard to alert the driver when a tire is significantly
under-inflated.  Tires in this condition are much more prone to tire failure (a blow out).  The standard for this warning to
signal is when the tire pressure is 25% below the tire manufacturer's recommended inflation pressure.

For example, if the tire is supposed to be inflated to 30 psi of pressure, the TPMS will alert the driver when the tire
pressure drops below 22.5 psi.  All cars manufactured after September 1, 2007 are required to have TPMS.

Daytime Running Lights or DRL

Daytime Running Lights turn on the car's headlights whenever the vehicle is being driven.  By turning on the headlights -
even in the daytime - the ability of other drivers to see your car is greatly enhanced.

Seat Belts / Safety Belts

Seat belts are considered the single most important safety feature in your car.  These belts are designed to keep you in
your seat, which helps you to avoid hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield.  When buying a car, sit in the
vehicle and put on the seat belt.  Check to make sure the fit is comfortable.  Many cars today offer a variety of ways to
adjust the seat belt to obtain a better fit.

All new cars are required to provide a warning light and audible signal that lasts for at least eight second if the driver
does not have a seat belt engaged.

Air Bags

The original air bags deployed in cars were placed in the steering wheel and they were designed to protect the driver. 
The success of air bags in protecting passengers has lead to their deployment in several new ways.

Frontal Air Bags

Frontal air bags for drivers and passengers have been standard equipment in all cars since the model year 1998.  These
bags are designed to prevent the driver or front seat passenger from striking the windshield, dashboard or steering
wheel.  Frontal air bags are usually hidden in the steering wheel and / or the dashboard itself.

Advanced Air Bag Systems

By September 1, 2006, all new automobiles were required to be fitted with advanced air bag systems.  This advanced
system is designed to deploy air bags in such a way as to balance the protection of the passenger with the force by which
the bag is deployed.  The advanced system can help protect some adults, and especially small children, from the harmful
affects of an air bag that deploys with too much force.
 Air Bag On / Off Switches

Nearly all vehicles that do not have a rear seat now include an on / off switch that can deactivate a frontal air bag.  For
example, an on / off switch might be commonly found in pick up trucks allowing the passenger side air bag to be turned
off when transporting a small child.

Side Air Bags

Side air bags are designed to offer additional passenger protection from side impact collisions.  These types of bags take
several forms:

 Curtains / Tubular - these air bags deploy downward from the car's roof.
 Combination - these air bags deploy upward from the seat back and provide both head and chest protection.

Side Air Bag Out of Position Test

There has been a recent movement to test side air bags for safety when a passenger is out of position - such as a child or
adult sleeping with their head resting on the inside of a car's door.  If the vehicle has passed a series of tests for safety
under these conditions, it will be noted in the car's safety literature.

Rollover Air Bags

Rollover air bags are designed to keep passengers inside a vehicle when a special rollover sensor activates.  These
rollover air bags are side air bags that perform this safety function by staying inflated for a longer period of time.

Vehicle Weight

The final car safety feature we're going to mention has to do with the vehicle's weight.  Once again this has to do with
physics (actually quite a bit of a car's behavior can be explained by physics) but the rule of thumb here is that heavier
vehicles offer passengers a greater level of safety.  But this rule of thumb comes with one of those cautions.

Statistically, some of the heavier vehicles on the road today are trucks and SUVs.  Because of the typical dimensions of
SUVs, its center of gravity is higher off the ground compared to a passenger car.  This makes SUVs more prone to rolling
over.

So while an SUV offers passengers the advantage of being a heavier vehicle, this advantage can be negated by their
tendency to roll over.

Finding Information on Car Safety Features

The NHTSA runs a website - SaferCar.gov - and there you will find loads of information on car safety in addition to a
database containing vehicle safety features and safety ratings dating back to 1990.  Keep in mind that not all vehicles
have been evaluated for safety.  While the database grows each week with new information and is perhaps the most
comprehensive of its kind, it does not contain information for every make and model produced since 1990.

You can also check out our article on car safety ratings if you're wondering about a vehicle's overall design and its ability
to protect its passengers.  And if you've got small children, we've also published information on car seat safety that
explains what to look for when buying car seats for infants and small children.