Safety equipment in cars has improved dramatically over the last couple of decades and, as a result, we’ve seen gradual falls in the number of deaths on the roads.
But, despite all these changes, just driving from A to B is the most dangerous thing most of us do.
The good news is that modern cars have lots of safety features, like automatic braking and lane-departure warnings. But what if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a brand new vehicle? Are there any other ways to make your existing car safer? Take a look at these ideas.
Install A Reversing Camera
Reversing cameras used to be a feature that was reserved for luxury vehicles. But over the years, the price of cameras has plummeted (and they’ve gotten a lot better) meaning that they are accessible to practically everybody who owns a car.
Reversing cameras are a good idea because they allow you to see what’s just behind the rear bumper, an area that has been notoriously difficult to see up until now.
The data show that reverse cameras are worth investing in. According to a survey by Budget Direct, more than 54 percent of drivers said that they had a near miss while reversing their car, coming very close to colliding with a pedestrian, horse or another vehicle. What’s worse, children are hurt in driveway reversing incidents every week because they are often not tall enough to be seen out of the rear-view mirror.
Upgrade Your Tyres
Drivers need to remember that when it comes to car safety, one of the things that really matters is the tyres. After all, the tyres are the only part of the car that actually touches the surface of the road. Former racing driver and tyre expert, Darlene Gray, says that cars are only able to stop as well as their tyres will allow. Even if cars have incredible onboard technologies, like antilock braking systems, traction control, and four-wheel drive, if their tyres aren’t any good, they’ll be unsafe.
He recommends that owners who are concerned about safety upgrade their tyres to improve the handling of their car on the road. It’s also worth investing in systems, like those from Safe T Tyre, that monitor tyre pressure and prevent tyres from wearing unevenly – something that can be catastrophic if you have a blowout.
Install A Blind-Spot Warning System
Everybody who took their driving test knows that all cars have a blind spot. The old fashioned solution was to turn your head to see if you could see anybody traveling up along your inside. But if road conditions or lighting is poor, it’s often hard to see people coming. Glare from wet roads and reduced street lighting can make checking your blind spot difficult.
This is why so many drivers are now installing so-called blind-spot detection systems that help them to change lane safely. These systems automatically detect whether another car is in the driver’s blind spot and alerts the driver with a warning sound. As a result, the driver’s eyes remain fixed on the road.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
It’s a never ending battle of making your cars better and also trying to be better yourself.