Top Five Vehicle Safety Features in New Cars

Consumers have various criteria for choosing what vehicle to buy. Some need enough space for child safety seats, others need cargo room in the trunk, lots of people choose based on style and available “bells and whistles,” and many look for certain safety features. 

If you’re someone who looks for safety features, how do you choose which are most important? We can buy into marketing hype, or we can rely on experts for guidance. No one knows better than a personal injury lawyer how accidents happen, what types of accidents cause the most severe injuries, and how some injuries are avoided because of the safety features in the vehicles.

Let’s take a look at what personal injury lawyers say are the five most important safety features for preventing car accident injuries:

1. Airbags

Airbags were introduced in the 1970s but were only available in some cars at that time. They became more widespread in the 1980s and 1990s, and they became standard safety equipment by 1998. In 1999, front airbags were required for all new passenger vehicles. 

Airbags inflate on impact to cushion the driver or passenger’s head, neck and chest to reduce force by limiting how far forward the body can move. This prevents people from hitting the steering wheel, dashboard, side windows or doorframes in a crash. They also reduce the likelihood of being ejected from the car or thrown through a window. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says airbags—when used with seatbelts—reduce the risk of death by 61%. A seatbelt, alone, reduces the risk 50%; an airbag alone reduces the risk 34%.

2. Forward collision avoidance and braking system

Some newer cars are equipped with a feature that would alert the driver if you’re approaching an object too quickly. Some systems sound an alarm if your car approaches too quickly, but some will actually apply emergency braking. 

As of spring 2024, most new cars have automatic emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning (FCW) and crash-imminent braking (CIB). Officials say that universal AEB could prevent 24,000 collisions each year and save up to 360 lives.

3. Blind-spot monitoring

If you’re driving on the highway or on a multi-lane road, particularly at a high rate of speed, you likely need to change lanes and be wary of your blind spot. A blind-spot monitoring system can alert a driver when there’s a vehicle present by triggering a light on their mirror or sounding an alarm if the turn signal is initiated while there’s a vehicle nearby. 

Blind spots are alongside and toward the rear of a car and they are difficult to see from either the side or rearview mirrors. These monitoring systems have backup cameras and sensors that scan the tough-to-see zones and alert the driver if there’s a vehicle in the area.

4. Lane keep assist

This feature helps the vehicle to stay within the lane guidelines on the road. If the turn signal is not activated and the car begins to drift toward either side of the lane, the system provides an audible beep, vibration, or visual indicator to the driver that they are starting to leave the lane. It can also make minor adjustments to keep the vehicle in its lane.

The purpose of lane keep assist is to provide a measure of safety to account for human error, driver distraction, or fatigue that leads to a loss of steering control. However, lane keep assist only works when there are clear road markings (i.e. painted lanes).

5. Inattentive driving monitor

Inattentive driving (also known as “distracted driving”) continues to be a problem across the country. Certainly, inattentive driving is best avoided by good driver behavior. 

Good habits include avoiding any texting or other handheld electronic device use while driving, not driving when you are drowsy, and avoiding other distractions inside the vehicle (passenger behavior, loud music, etc.). 

An inattentive driving monitor (also known as driver monitoring systems, or DMS) is not an excuse to do other things while you drive—but it can warn a driver if their eyes are not on the road or if they are becoming too sleepy. Very advanced technologies can gently apply the brakes or move the steering wheel to get the driver’s attention. 

How does DMS work?

These systems use cameras and sensors to track driver behavior. They scan eye movements, head position and facial expression to detect distraction or drowsiness. The system triggers safety interventions if it detects signs of distraction.

It should go without saying that the single most important tool for preventing injury in the car is your seat belt.

Every occupant of a vehicle should use a properly functioning seat belt worn correctly. In addition, children should be in child safety seats appropriate for their age and size and ride in the back seat. 

Child safety seats should be secured using the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). This allows you to secure the seat without relying on seat belts, which is a more secure platform for the seat and prevents most user error in installation. 

Each of these features adds a layer of safety to your driving experience. Nothing is fail-safe, however, and drivers must be cautious about relying too heavily on safety features. There is no substitute for safe, attentive, skilled driving. 

If you’ve been involved in a collision, you can contact a personal injury lawyer in your state for guidance on your legal options for compensation.