 |
| Buying a Safer Car |
| Here are the DIY Basics on shopping for a safer car. |
|
advertisement
|
|
Features  |
 |
|
|
|
|
Buying a safe care makes good sense for two reasons: - Your protection.
- Lower car insurance premiums.
Before you shop, do your homework. There are great sources that rate safe cars: - First look at passive safety features. These protect passengers in an accident. Ask the dealer how the car rates in terms of crush zones (figure A), safety cages, air bags and safety belts.
- A well-designed crush zone absorbs the impact in a front or rear collision. The safety cage protects passengers by stopping the car from collapsing during a roll-over or side collision.
- Ask about roof pillars, wheel and engine barriers and secure door hinges.
- Other passive features include frontal airbags, standard in all new vehicles. Not so common are side airbags, which can protect you in a side-on crash. Of course, airbags only work along with safety belts, so look for a car with three-point lap and shoulder restraints (figure B) at every seat.
Now let's look at active safety features. These are designed to prevent an accident. Again, do your homework - See how the experts rate a car's steering, suspension, tires and brakes. Look for a vehicle that handles well, which is accomplished through a combination of steering, suspension, body characteristics and weight distribution.
- Tires should grip the road (figure C), allowing the car to stop and corner safely. Brakes should stop the vehicle in the shortest distance and not affect control. An anti-lock braking system does just that along with performing well in slippery conditions.
Of course, the safest care is not so without a good driver behind the wheel, so be sure you're doing your part to keep the roads safe!
| 
)
)
)
)
WINDOWS MEDIA VIDEO
