Whether you’re purchasing a pre-owned or new vehicle, what are some of the most important safety features to look for? Many come standard on newer cars and trucks, while others are optional. Here’s what the experts at Master Muffler Bountiful recommend when it comes to beneficial safety features.
Before You Car Shop
Some things you’ll want to consider during the research phase of car shopping include:
- What kind of activities do you use your car for? Do you need a lot of cargo space for hauling gear? Do you tow a trailer or boat?
- What’s your budget? Narrow your search by having a firm grasp on how much money you’re willing (and able) to spend on a new car before starting your search.
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll have a much better idea of what kind of car is right for you. From there, it’s time to start test driving!
Must-Have Safety Features
For new and experienced drivers alike, the following safety features are considered must-haves by Master Muffler.
Anti-Lock Brakes
One of the most important safety features to look for in a car is anti-lock brakes. Anti-lock brakes are designed to prevent your wheels from locking up when you brake suddenly. This feature is especially important if you live in an area with icy roads. Bountiful is known for its hills, and if your car doesn’t have anti-lock brakes you may find yourself lacking control as you make your way down 5th South. Even on fairly level roads, anti-lock brakes come in handy in winter!
Airbags
Another important safety feature to look for in a vehicle is airbags. Airbags are designed to deploy in the event of a collision and help protect you from being ejected from the vehicle or hitting your head on the steering wheel or dashboard. Most newer vehicles have airbags located in the front seat, but some also have them in the back seats as well.
Although airbags are designed to keep adults safer in the front seat during a collision, they are not designed to protect children. Always keep children in the backseat until they’re the right size (height/weight) for the front seat.
Automatic Emergency Braking
One of the most important safety features to look for in a vehicle is automatic emergency braking. This feature uses sensors to detect when a collision is imminent and will automatically apply the brakes to help avoid or mitigate the impact. Many newer vehicles come standard with this feature, but it’s definitely worth paying extra for if your chosen model doesn’t have it.
Blind Spot Monitoring
Blind spot monitoring systems use sensors to detect when there is a vehicle in your blind spot and will provide an audible or visual warning to alert the driver. This feature is especially useful when changing lanes or merging onto highways.
Lane Departure Warning/Lane Keeping Assist
Lane departure warning systems use sensors to detect when your vehicle is veering out of its lane and will provide an audible or visual warning to alert the driver. Lane Keeping Assist goes one step further by actually applying corrective steering input to keep the vehicle within its lane. These two features can be invaluable on long trips or in stop-and-go traffic.
Stability Control
Stability control is another great safety feature that can help you avoid accidents. Stability control is designed to keep your car from slipping and sliding on slippery roads. It does this by automatically applying the brakes to individual wheels when it detects that the car is starting to lose traction. This can help you avoid hydroplaning and losing control of your car on wet roads.
Testing Them Out
When test driving each car, be sure to take it on different types of roads—highways, city streets, winding country roads—so that you can get a feel for how it performs in different situations. And if possible, try to drive each car in both good weather and bad so that you can see how it handles in both ideal and less-than-ideal conditions. This will give you a chance to make use of some of the safety features that aren’t related to collision mitigation.
CONTACT MASTER MUFFLER BOUNTIFUL TODAY
(801) 682-4406
Once you’ve purchased your new vehicle, bring it into Master Muffler Bountiful for a thorough inspection. We can tune up the engine, rotate and align the tires, or simply top off your fluids.
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