When you are looking to purchase a used car, in addition to a pristine exterior and interior, good gas mileage and no previous accidents, there are other features you need to aim for that increase your safety over the life of the vehicle. For used car dealers like Robert Bassam sales are a result of providing a good product, so he emphasizes features in his cars that not only keep passengers safe, but also help lower insurance premiums. Here are some of the newest and most effective features to look for:
Vehicle Driver Assistance Systems
Today there are cars that come equipped with systems that have been developed to automate and enhance safety and better driving. These high technology systems help drivers to avoid collisions and stay alert, while warning you of potential problems on the road. In the event of a problem the vehicle can offer options for solving the problem including taking over control of the vehicle when an accident seems imminent. The systems today run from slight assist to near total assist for the driver and can be engaged at different times and at different levels of assistance.
They utilize GPS, cameras and computer programs imbedded in the vehicle to rely traffic warnings, alert the driver to locations and speed of other cars and particularly those that might be a danger to the driver’s car, and show what is in driver’s critical blind spots.
If the used car you are purchasing does not come with this particular type of system, the great news is that they can be purchased aftermarket and added to any car. Depending upon the exact features you want it may be an expensive purchase so you should check pricing before you purchase your car. When you purchase these types of systems for your car or purchase a car with them included, you can expect a reduction in your insurance premiums which may pay for the system.
Accident Avoidance System:
A vehicle avoidance system is a particular part of driver assistance that focuses on assisting the driver to either completely avoid a collision or to minimize the severity of a collision. The system utilizes laser, GPS, cameras and radar to monitor the external situation going on outside of the vehicle and internally, the vehicles speed and course. The system’s software will detect and project any potential dangerous situation it sees developing and offer suggestions to the driver. On fully active mode, the system will take over control of the vehicle and attempt to avoid the accident. This may include steering, braking, engaging different modes of the vehicles shock absorbers and tensioning seat belts for impact. So software reacts faster than a human could so it can often minimize injury in instances where the driver never could be able. At present the luxury car makers have fully instituted these systems in their late model cars and lower end car companies are quickly added them because of their claims of double digit gains in effectiveness at avoiding or reducing the seriousness of accidents.
When you shop for a new car remember that there is more to look for than nice paint and a great seating position. You also need to look for cars that take advantage of the new safety technologies. This will surely benefit your family over the life of the car.