Shopping for Safety in a Car

While ESC now is found mostly on high-end vehicles, the most affordable and widely available safety options—and often standard equipment—are antilock brakes and side air bags.

Another thing to look for is a car that can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under ten or eleven seconds, says Emunds.com, an auto-information Web site. We’re not talking sports car speed here, but it is enough to merge quickly in high-traffic areas.

Under-inflated tires also contribute to a loss of control, but they aren’t always obvious even to those who look each time they get gas. Tire-pressure monitors will flash a dashboard warning light to indicate low pressure. Don’t ignore it; get air in that tire now.  

If the worst should happen and you do get in an accident, advanced frontal air bags are better than the single-stage air bags that have been required for years. Advanced air bags instantly sense occupant size, seat position and crash severity to determine how powerfully to inflate. That can eliminate the problem in older cars, where the force of the air bags’ inflation sometimes was as dangerous as the crash.

Side curtain air bags add another level of head protection for rear-seat occupants, and side-impact air bags protect front-seat occupants in a side crash.

And, finally, consider an emergency crash notification system. General Motors’ OnStar is the most common, but other automakers have their own systems as well. The system can tell when you’ve been in a crash and contacts emergency assistance, even pinpointing your location. These systems also can be used to summon help for a flat tire, breakdown or even unlocking your car if you left the keys inside.

Of course, no matter how your vehicle is equipped, how you drive is just as important to safety. Even the simplest step—and one that the law requires—can do wonders. Buckle your seat belt. It might be a bumpy ride.