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More: Auto Safety Tips
Crashworthiness
"Crashworthiness" refers to a vehicle's ability
to protect its passengers in a crash. Today's vehicles are
more crashworthy than ever. Still, about 30,000 occupants
die in crashes on U.S. roads each year, most of them in head-on
collisions
If you're like most people shopping for a new car, safety
ranks high on your list of considerations. While identifying
a 100% safe car is impossible, some vehicle characteristics
are inherently safer than others.
Vehicle
Size
The laws of physics dictate that, all else being equal,
larger vehicles are safer than smaller vehicles. In relation
to their numbers on the road, small cars have more than twice
as many occupant deaths each year as large cars. Insurance
claims for vehicle damage are also more frequent for small
cars than large ones.
Vehicle
Structure
Modern car designs include a strong occupant compartment,
or "safety cage," and front and rear crush zones
designed to absorb crash energy in a controlled manner. Good
structural designs confine crash damage to the crush zones
in all but the worst impacts. The occupant compartment should
remain intact as the crush zones absorb energy, minimizing
crash forces inside the compartment.
Safety
Belts
In crashes, people need to remain inside the occupant
compartment -- not be ejected -- to reduce the likelihood
of serious injury. Lap/shoulder belts play an important role
in this. In effect, they tie you to the occupant compartment
so you decelerate with it instead of slamming into hard interior
surfaces. But not all belt designs are the same. Some are
more comfortable and easier to use -- important because a
comfortable belt is more likely to be used every trip.
Airbags
Even the best belt designs can't prevent all head and
chest impacts in serious frontal crashes. Airbags help by
creating an energy-absorbing cushion between the upper body
and steering wheel, instrument panel, or windshield. To get
the maximum benefits, you should use a belt and sit away from
the bag. This way, you'll be in position with sufficient space
for the airbag to inflate rapidly and create a protective
buffer.
Seating
Position
Sitting very close to the steering wheel increases your
risk of hitting it in a crash, even if you're using a lap/shoulder
belt, and it doesn't allow sufficient space for the airbag.
So it's important to position yourself away from the wheel.
Choose a vehicle that allows you to comfortably reach pedals
without being close to the wheel.
Side Impact
Protection
Some of the more serious injuries occur in side impacts
when the force of a crash drives a door into the occupant.
All 1997 and later model passenger cars must meet federal
side impact crash test requirements. Manufacturers typically
use extra padding to meet this standard, but some are also
installing side airbags to protect drivers and right front
passengers. Side airbags are in some 1998 models including
the Audi A8, BMW 5- and 7-series, Cadillac Catera and DeVille,
Lexus LS 400, Mercedes E/S/SL classes, and all Volvos.
Head
Restraints
All head restraints aren't the same. Some are adjustable,
and some are fixed. Head restraints also vary in height and
proximity to occupants' heads. To prevent neck injuries, it's
necessary for head restraints to be directly behind and close
to the backs of passenger's heads. In general, fixed head
restraints are preferred because they don't need to be adjusted
for different occupants. If they are adjustable, make sure
they can be positioned behind and close to the back of your
head. And make sure they lock.
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