Macon

There is no doubt that safety should be one of your most important considerations when looking to buy a new or used car. Unfortunately, safety is something that a majority of car buyers take for granted.

Research shows that the safest cars on the road can offer up to five times more protection to drivers and passengers in crashes than those that meet the minimum standards. That is a significant statistic, that can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.

The number of safety features offered by makes and models is growing daily. Although, in a majority of cases, a modern car will provide a better level of protection in a crash than an older one, this is not always the case. Furthermore, not all modern cars are equipped with the same level of safety features.

Two key safety features to ask for when buying a new car are Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and side curtain airbags. ESC is considered to be an active safety feature in that it can help a driver to avoid a crash. Side curtain airbags are consider to be passive safety features, in that that help to protect drivers and passengers when a crash cannot be avoided.

ESC helps drivers to avoid crashes by reducing the danger of skidding. It does this through the use of sensors that detect loss of control and then automatically applies the brake to the relevant wheel, effectively bringing the car back on its intended path. Statistics vary worldwide, however most experts agree that ESC reduces the risk of single vehicle crashes by an estimated 40%.

Side curtain airbags deploy from the top of a cars door rails, above the side window. They are designed to protect a drivers head in a side impact crash. Research conducted in the USA estimates that side curtain airbags have the potential to reduce driver deaths in the event of a side impact crash by around 40%.

Safety features such as ESC and side curtain airbags arent available in all vehicles, but they should be! It is your own best interests to ask for features such as these when you are looking to buy your next car. Hopefully you will never need to use them, but if you are unlucky enough to be involved in a crash, then you just might be thankful that you took the time to buy a safe car.

Car News @ MotorDude.com provides the latest car news as well as advice for car buyers. Maybe it's time you asked yourself the question, how safe is your car?