The latest in advanced car safety features

Safety remains a top concern for new-car shoppers, and fortunately, today’s modern cars offer more occupant protection and accident avoidance technologies than the typical model being traded in. But not all cars are equal; there are clearly those models that perform better in  dynamic tests, as well as crash tests conducted by the government and insurance industry. Test results on car model pages reveal the differences, though there is more to safety.

New technologies offer potential benefits, such as blind-spot detection and forward-collision warning systems. But ultimately, the driver is a critical factor, especially among teens and older drivers. 

Need a new car? Then consider one with active safety systems. Manufacturers are building cars with systems that can help you avoid or mitigate a crash in all sorts of situations, such as closing in on another car too quickly, changing lanes into an unseen car in a blind spot, or simply backing out in a busy parking lot.

The latest in Key active safety systems include:

Forward-collision warning (FCW) - Visual and/or audible warning intended alert the driver and prevent a collision.

Automatic emergency braking (AEB) - Brakes are automatically applied to prevent a collision or reduce collision speed.

Lane-departure warning (LDW) - Visual, audible, or haptic warning to alert the driver when they are crossing lane markings.

Blind-spot warning (BSW) - Visual and/or audible notification of vehicle in blind spot. The system may provide an additional warning if you use your turn signal when there is a car next to you in another lane.

Lane-keeping assist (LKA) - Automatic corrective steering input or braking provided by the vehicle when crossing lane markings.

Rear cross-traffic alert - Visual, audible, or haptic notification of object or vehicle out of rear camera range, but could be moving into it.

Once sold on the concept of these active safety systems, there remains the challenge in interpreting each manufacturer’s offerings, each with their own unique name, and then figuring out which trim and/or option is necessary to get the gear.

Dangerous Distracted Driving Habits

The car has become a favorite spot to place calls and send texts -- all too often with deadly consequences.

Distractions inside our vehicles abound. For many professionals, their car, truck or SUV is truly their office on wheels. For younger drivers, the car continues to serve as a social hub as it has for decades. 

Every day, distracted driving kills scores of people and injures thousands. Here we look at distractions which may not appear dangerous but could end in a disaster.

Eating and Drinking

Compared to some of the other distracted driving habits , this one might seem relatively tame. 

But consider some of the things that could go wrong:

·  You could spill scalding coffee on your lap

·  That idli or burger could collapse in your hands, sending crumbs, sauce and patty pieces all over your work outfit

·  Greasy hands or one-handed driving means less control of the steering wheel and shifter

·  In each of these cases, drivers face a potential domino effect where impaired attention plus an unexpected event lead to loss of control.

Solution: Eat before or after you get behind the wheel; to chow down during your drive places you and others at risk.

Applying Makeup or Grooming

We treat it almost as a joke: the harried office worker who slogs through morning rush hour while painting her face; the road warrior who uses drive time as shaving time. There's even a conveniently placed "vanity mirror" in the fold-down visor right above the windscreen to facilitate this morning ritual. As usual, the blamed culprit is shortage of time. With our schedules more compressed than ever, the car or SUV might seem like the perfect place to take care of less mentally taxing tasks such as personal grooming.

But there's little arguing with the science on distracted driving. All but a small percentage (between 2 and 3 percent) of the population experience a noticeable decline in performance when they try to do two or more things at once 

You may have gotten away with eyebrow plucking on the highway up until now, but just remember that it's always a gamble.

Tending to your pets

The last thing you need is an animal roaming around inside your vehicle while you drive. Pets should be secured. It's safer for them, you and others outside your vehicle.

Fortunately, there are carriers for cats and other small pets. For larger dogs, you can try vehicle partitions or even doggy harnesses that strap your canine securely into a seat. That way he can enjoy the wind in his face without getting fur and slobber in yours.

The proper securing device, coupled with your reassuring words and caresses, should make riding in the car a tolerable and perhaps downright enjoyable experience for your pet. And unlike our next subject, pets don't require expensive video games or other electronics to remain settled. Continue to the next page to confirm what you already knew our next distraction would be.

Keeping an Eye on the Kids

The little bundles of joy can be anything but if they don't have distractions of their own to while away time in the car. Whether it's two or more young ones squabbling or a lone infant protesting to be released from a restrictive child safety seat, you do not want to divert your attention from the road to indulge them.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, passengers are ranked by drivers as among the most frequent causes of distraction. Young children are four times as distracting as adults, while infants can be a whopping eight times more distracting, the AAA Foundation reports. Think carefully, though, about stealing a few seconds' glance to investigate while at cruising speed.

It takes only a fraction of a second for a road-borne hazard to enter your vehicle's collision zone and precipitate a disaster.

For the sake of everyone involved, if the little ones' screaming is about to force you to turn around and go back there -- pull over first.

How do driverless cars work?

Driverless cars used to be confined to the realm of science fiction, but now they are coming to a road near you, with the likes of Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Google and Audi among the companies with systems ready to deploy.

From reducing the number of accidents, to improving emissions compliance and easing congestion, the driverless revolution has begun, and that includes trials in various locations around the world.

In the UK, Bristol and Greenwich are examining the challenges of bringing fully automated vehicles on to the UK’s roads, whilst Coventry and Milton Keynes will also host tests involving Lutz podcars. In addition, very soon Volvo will be testing driverless cars in London in what it describes as its "most ambitious" trial ever.

  

Lasting for 18 to 36 months, these tests will also analyse the legal and insurance implications of driverless cars.

The driverless technology industry is expected to be worth £900 billion globally by 2025 and is currently growing by 16 per cent a year.

Plus machines are much better at following rules than humans; motorway signs advising drivers to slow down or not change lane to avoid creating jams are often ignored by motorists – not so a computer.

So how do driverless cars work? There are several systems that work in conjunction with each other to control a driverless car.

1. Radar sensors dotted around the car monitor the position of vehicles nearby.

2. Video cameras detect traffic lights, read road signs and keep track of other vehicles, while also looking out for pedestrians and other obstacles.

3. Lidar sensors help to detect the edges of roads and identify lane markings by bouncing pulses of light off the car’s surroundings.

  

Ultrasonic sensors in the wheels can detect the position of curbs and other vehicles when parking.

Finally, a central computer analyses all of the data from the various sensors to manipulate the steering, acceleration and braking.

This is just the start. It’ll be five years from now before fully autonomous driving starts to become a reality and you can take your hands off the wheel to, for example, watch a YouTube video or, if you’re feeling quaint, read a book. It’s not only legislation that needs to change to allow this; cars will have to adopt what Thatcham describes as a “full sensor pack”, including radars, cameras and laser scanners, which will allow them to “build up a complete picture of the immediate road and traffic environment and to use lateral steering adjustments and longitudinal braking and acceleration inputs to navigate safely within it.”

Fast forward to 2025. Welcome to the future, where cars drive themselves, not only on motorways, but from your house to the office or shops, to see friends or just to escape the kids for some peace and quiet. All typical driving environments will be covered, says Thatcham, and cars will be able to negotiate not only traffic lights, but junctions and roundabouts as well.

In addition to sensors and radars, vehicles will feature full connectivity with each other and the road infrastructure, allowing them to take traffic conditions into account when planning your route.

It is expected that the driver will not need to touch the controls for the entirety of their journey.

Driverless cars are not purely about technological progression. There is sound economics behind it too. In fact, on an average cars sit idle for 95 per cent of the time and considering that the world has 1,200,000,000 cars this is a mind boggling level of inefficiency. Also, cars amount for 22 per cent of all emissions globally, so there is a strong environmental reason in being able to reduce their numbers. Another small detail, is that the world has more parking space than cars. As the number of cars go up there is a huge capital cost incurred in increasing the parking slots available. Reducing the number of cars helps cut this investment in the long run.

What to Do in a Roadside Emergency

Safety should be your main concern

If a flat tire, mechanical breakdown, or empty fuel tank forces you to stop driving, the most important thing is to take actions that ensure your safety. Here are some tips from  auto experts.

Get off the road

Pull your vehicle as far off of the road as safely possible. If your vehicle is in or near traffic and you can safely walk to another location, do it. If the vehicle is parked on the shoulder of a busy highway, exit on the passenger side. Lock the door and leave a note on the windshield with your mobile phone number in case roadside assistance or the police stop by the vehicle.

Make your vehicle as visible as possible

At the minimum, turn on the hazard lights as soon as you realize that your vehicle has problems. Once stopped, use any warning signals that you have—flares, hazard triangle, or a warning light—to alert other motorists of your vehicle's presence. Place the warning device as far behind your car as practical to give other motorists as much notice as possible.

Display a distress signal

If you need police help, raise the hood or tie a white cloth to the radio antenna or door handle, or hang the cloth out of the top of the door and close it on the cloth.

Keep the doors locked

If the vehicle is in a safe location, you should wait inside. Keep the doors locked and the safety belts fastened.

Exercise caution

Use good judgment in accepting help from strangers. If someone of whom you're suspicious stops, lower the window only enough to talk. If you're waiting for help, thank them for stopping but tell them you're OK. If you need help, ask them to make a call for you.

Inform your friends/colleagues/family 

Safety and children

Correctly fitted and properly adjusted child restraints provide protection for your children.

Airbags

The rear seat is much safer for child restraints than the front seat, with or without an airbag. It is safer not to use child restraints in the front passenger seat.

Choose the right child restraint

Children need different restraints as they grow. The restraint must match the age, size and weight of your child. It must be correctly installed in your car and the straps must be adjusted so that your child is held in snugly.

Installing and using child safety restraints:

Read and follow all instructions carefully when installing child restraints. When installing a child restraint, follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly or go to a Restraint Fitting Station - their operators have been specially trained to install approved infant and child restraints in a wide variety of vehicles.

Where possible, install your child restraint in the centre position of your car’s back seat, except in the case of a booster seat with a lap only seat belt.

Ensure the top strap and the adult seat belt that keeps the child restraint in position are properly adjusted; there shouldn’t be any slack. When tightening the seat belt push the child restraint firmly into the car seat with your body weight, so that the car seat cushions are compressed. This helps to ensure a very tight fit and minimises subsequent movement in a crash.

Use the minimum number of tether extension straps. Ensure the harness shoulder straps are correctly positioned. When using a rearward-facing infant restraint, the shoulder straps should be located at shoulder height or just above the baby’s shoulders Shoulder straps in forward-facing restraints can be located up to 25mm below the child’s shoulders Adjust the harness firmly. A loose harness won’t perform well in a crash and can lead to other problems, such as the child freeing his or her arms.

There should be no twists in the harness. When using a child harness with a lap belt, tighten the belt first, and then adjust the harness If the inbuilt harness is loose or the restraint is not attached securely to the vehicle, it will not protect your child properly in a crash.

A baby on board sticker is optional!!!!

Driving Safely At All Times

We often take things we do regularly for granted, like driving. We sometimes assume that we have the skills to handle all situations, even those rarely experienced - like driving in the snow or heavy fog.

You can help reduce your risk of being in a crash by anticipating what might happen by looking ahead and closely observing  the movement of other traffic wherever you drive Expecting the unexpected especially in city driving and take extra care when changing lanes, overtaking, going through intersections and driving at night Keeping a greater distance to the car in front especially when driving on rural roads and overtake only when safe - never rush or lose patience.

Taking a 15 minute powernap whenever you feel drowsy or sleepy 

Reducing your speed accordingly when driving conditions become difficult or extreme through rain, fog, snow or glare

Not driving after you have been drinking or have taken drugs

Not using a mobile phone while driving

The crash risk for drivers differs according to age and experience.

Driving as safely as we can is a shared responsibility of all road users.

Ageing drivers are at a greater risk of being killed or seriously injured in a crash due to increased frailty and other issues  associated with driving, rather than risky driving behaviour.

Young drivers are three times more likely to be involved in serious accidents than experienced drivers, and the risk is even higher in the first few months of getting your licence.  This is partly because they take unacceptable risks, but the major reason is that they lack experience.

Fatigue is one of the major contributors to fatal crashes among young drivers. If you're studying, working and/or socialising you may often be tempted to drive tired or when you'd normally be sleeping just to fit everything in. Make sure you get a good nights sleep before you drive. Take a 15 minute powernap whenever you feel drowsy or sleepy.

Avoid driving during normal sleeping hours.

If you are tired and need to get somewhere, try to arrange a lift, use a cab or even catch public transport.

You can also protect yourself and your friends by choosing a safe car that stacks up well in crash tests. Not all cars are created equal in terms of safety Cars within a similar price range may differ in the level of protection they offer occupants in a crash. If you're in the market for a car, look at a range of cars that suit your budget, travel needs and style and then pick the one that's the safest.  There are safe cars for every budget out there.

Equally important is the need for the right insurance to enjoy peace of mind and added protection. Make sure that the insurance company will be with you when you need them the most. Which is why it's critical to pick one that's trust-worthy and reliable apart from low pricing.

To know more about #PolicyNation, please visit www.policynation.com

How safe is your car?

We provide a primer on Crash Protection Features. They provide greater levels of injury protection to drivers and passengers in car crashes and include:

Crumple zones

Modern cars protect drivers and passengers in frontal, rear and offset crashes by using crumple zones to absorb crash energy.  This means that the car absorbs the impact of the crash, not the driver or passengers.

Strong occupant compartment

The cabin of the car should keep its shape in frontal crashes to protect the driver and passenger’s space. The steering column, dashboard, roof pillars, pedals and floor panels should not be pushed excessively inwards, where they are more likely to injure drivers and passengers. Doors should remain closed during a crash and should be able to be opened afterwards to assist in quick rescue, while strong roof pillars can provide extra protection in rollover crashes.

Side impact protection

Increased side door strength, internal padding and better seats can improve protection in side impact crashes. Most new cars have side intrusion beams or other protection within the door structure. Some cars also have padding on the inside door panels.

Increasingly, car manufacturers are installing side airbags that provide protection from severe injury. Head-protecting side airbags, such as curtain airbags, are highly effective in side impact and rollover crashes.

Seat belts

A properly worn seat belt provides good protection but does not always prevent injuries. Three point lap/sash seat belts offer superior protection to two point seat belts and should be installed in all seating positions.

Recent improvements to seat belt  effectiveness include:

webbing clamps that stop more seat belt reeling out as it tightens on the spool pretensioners that pull the seat belt tight before the occupant starts to move load limiters that manage the forces applied to the body in a crash seat belt warning systems to remind you if seat belts have not been fastened.

Airbags

Airbags are designed to supplement the protection provided by seat belts - they are not a substitute. The best protection in frontal crashes is achieved using a properly worn seat belt in combination with an airbag.

Head rests

Head rests are important safety features and should be fitted to all seats - front and back. Head rest position is critical for preventingwhiplash in rear impact crashes. Whiplash is caused by the head extending backward from the torso in the initial stage of rear impact, then being thrown forward.

To prevent whiplash the head rest should be at least as high as the head's centre of gravity (eye level and higher) and as close to the back of the head as possible.

Crash Protection features are not enough. Ensure you are protected with insurancefrom a reliable and trustworthy company who don't treat you as another number on an Excel sheet.