Quick Things to Know About Safety Features
- Anyone who frequently parks in very tight spaces might want a 360-degree parking camera.
- Rear cross-traffic alert will signal that a person or a car is approaching from either side.
- Not all cars come with side curtain airbags. Look specifically for “side curtain” or “head curtain” airbags.
Don’t sacrifice vital safety features when searching for a new or used car, even when you want to save money. New and used cars are expensive. If you are shopping right now, you’re probably looking for ways to save money. Maybe you’re considering a certified pre-owned car instead of a new one. Perhaps you’re opting for a sedan or a hatchback to save money rather than a full-size SUV or pickup truck. We’ll provide a list of safety features you shouldn’t skimp on when searching for your next vehicle.
8 Safety Features You Need in Your Next Car
Consider these features to help keep you safe when searching for your next new or used vehicle.
- Rear Parking Camera
- Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Forward Collision Warning and Prevention
- Head-up Display
- Traction Control
- Stability Control
- Engine Immobilizer
- Side Curtain Airbags
1. Rear Parking Camera
If you’re an experienced driver, this might be OK to do without, especially in a small car. There are many solid used cars that don’t have parking cameras. However, if you’re buying a car for a teenager, like an inexpensive first car, don’t skip the parking camera. Learning without a parking camera is good, but having one for an inexperienced driver can make a big difference.
For anyone who frequently parks in very tight spaces, you might want a 360-degree parking camera. This kind of camera lets you see all the way around the car, not just what’s behind you.
PRO TIP: Honda automobiles are especially noteworthy for their rear parking cameras because most offer different views the driver can select based on the circumstances.
2. Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
While many older cars may have front or rear parking sensors, a rear cross-traffic alert goes one step further. It usually works in concert with rear parking sensors, but the rear cross-traffic alert tells the driver when something is moving toward the car and into view. For example, say you’re in a grocery store parking lot and need to back out of a space where you can’t see approaching vehicles or pedestrians. The rear cross-traffic alert will signal that a person or a car is approaching from either side. It can be a good substitute for a rear parking camera in a pinch.
3. Forward Collision Warning and Prevention
Forward collision warning monitors vehicles ahead of you and lets you know when you’re approaching too rapidly. It “sees” that the object ahead is going slower than you or stopped and alerts you that a collision may be imminent.
Forward collision prevention furthers that technology by applying the brakes to help avoid a collision or lessen the severity of an unavoidable collision. This technology is especially helpful in low-speed situations such as a drive-thru, a parking lot, or stopped traffic when your attention may be diverted for a second.
PRO TIP: Be sure to test drive the car first because some forward collision warning and forward collision prevention systems are very sensitive. However, others can have their level of sensitivity adjusted.
4. Head-up Display
A head-up display helps drivers keep their eyes on the road. It’s an excellent safety feature as it projects a holographic-like image onto the vehicle’s windshield or a plastic panel near the driver’s line of sight. The head-up display projects valuable data like vehicle speed and speed limit, navigation information, and infotainment identification, like what music or podcast is playing. It’s great for teens (think fewer distractions if they keep their eyes on the road), but any driver can benefit from the information. When looking for a new or used vehicle, check for this option. Also, aftermarket HUD systems can be added for a nominal fee, like an ACECAR system on Amazon ($32+). This system offers a speeding reminder, which is helpful, especially for younger drivers.
5. Traction Control
Traction control and stability control are not the same, but they’re related and often use some of the same systems to get the job done.
Traction control helps keep your wheels from slipping when it’s raining or driving on ice, snow, or sand. It does this by cutting engine power or using the brakes selectively without driver intervention. Think of traction control as something that works best when driving in a straight line at low speed.
6. Stability Control
Stability control is an enhancement to traction control or uses some of the same systems and principles. Stability control uses the brakes and engine power to keep your car from sliding. In-car sensors detect the lateral movement of the car. A computer analyzes the movement and rotation of the car and intervenes to keep your car from going sideways or into a spin. In simple terms, stability control corrects understeer and oversteer. Some used cars may have traction control but not stability control. If a car comes with stability control, it likely has traction control. If you purchase a car built before 2012, look for anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control.
7. Engine Immobilizer
Some newer cars have an engine immobilizer, while others don’t. In the simplest terms, an immobilizer is an anti-theft feature that uses a microchip inside the key with a code that talks to the car. The result is that the car cannot be started without one of those keys. Engine immobilizers often use radio frequency identification (RFID) to allow the key to “talk” to the car. When you search for a used car, certain trim levels of the models you’re considering may or may not have this feature. The price difference between a base “L” model and a deluxe “Premium” may be a few thousand dollars or less when buying a used car. Before purchasing a used car with a lower or base trim level, check the original equipment from the window sticker or research online to ensure the car came standard with an engine immobilizer. Some used cars of a lower trim level will not offer an engine immobilizer.
8. Side Curtain Airbags
Of course, the used car you’re looking at should offer front airbags at a minimum. Today, cars without airbags are likely to be very old, and the buyer is probably looking for something very specific, either as a collector’s item or something similar. Having airbags is important. However, not all cars come with side curtain airbags. Some cars from the ’90s and early 2000s may have frontal airbags only, but this primarily protects the upper body from forward impacts.
Look specifically for “side curtain” or “head curtain” airbags. This protection is especially important for young drivers as it prevents a head injury, something that can be very serious for a teen driver.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), federal regulations mandated frontal airbags for all passenger vehicles manufactured as of the 1999 model year. IIHS also states that federal regulations on side-impact protection don’t specifically require side curtain airbags, but the government standards are typically met with their inclusion. These side-impact regulations have been in place for passenger vehicles since the 2014 model year.
[Editor’s note: I would not let my teen drive a car without side airbags. As a side note, some cars now have knee airbags, and that’s something to look for, too, depending on the year, make, and model of the car you’re shopping for. Some Ford vehicles built prior to 2020 have airbags in the seat belts. This safety feature is worthwhile. However, if you have very small children, those seat belts can be cumbersome and may not fit all car seats. Additionally, inflatable seat belts can be difficult for small kids to buckle themselves, especially when in a booster.]
The bottom line here is the newer the car you’re buying, the more these features will either be standard or optional. The older the used car you’re looking at, the less likely some of these features will be included. Before you start looking for specific models, consider which of these safety features you think are necessary. Then, you can start looking for models in your price range that have those must-have features.
If it doesn’t seem clear from looking at the vehicle specifications online, ask someone at the dealership or the car’s owner. They may have the original window sticker or the extra information you need.
Forward collision warning and prevention has been very valuable. I was driving cross country in the Texas Hill country when a deer suddenly ran into my path. Instantly, before I could react, my vehicle applied the brakes and avoided disaster. Blind Spot notification on the side rear view mirrors is another safety must have.
Would it not be much more simple to have these safety features as standard equipment across the entire auto manufacturing industry?
To answer Bonnie Miller’s comment, the HUD keeps attention focused on what the vehicle is approaching and allows for more rapid response time compared to taking one’s attention away from what the driver is approaching. Much like that of a jet aircraft. I agree with Bonnie on the location of the HUD is some cases. Another feature manufacturers should standardize in the vehicles as well as location of the HUD projection.
I especially like the idea of the rear cross-traffic alert because I think parking lots are where a lot of accidents occur, not necessarily very dangerous to the drive, but for pedestrians and minor car body damage.
It would have been helpful to offer a listing of which manufacturers offer features on the list, and whether they are standard or optional. Also, do insurers offer discounts if your vehicle has these safety features? That would be of major interest, I think, because let’s face it, these features don’t come cheap, and most are not ‘standard’.
That’s why it’s so important to be familiar with trim levels when buying a used car. Not all used cars have the same features base on if it’s an SE, XL, RS, or whatever.
Great article! Interestingly I read an article last week that said manufacturers were considering “dumbing down” new vehicles because all of the new features were adding too much cost to new cars; but, safety features such as those in the above article would be well worth the added cost.
And the good news is, as a used car, those features don’t add that much cost.
Interesting article. Read another article a week or so ago that manufacturers were considering offering more new vehicles with less new features because many drivers didn’t understand them and could not use them. Safety features like those in this article are well worth taking the time to understand and use. I will certainly look for safety features on my next vehicle.
I wish that when the car suddenly decides to alert me by buzzing, beeping, etc it would show a display of whiat it thinks is the reason. And why suddenly stop my car on the freeway? Don’t they think this is a cause for alarm?
You might need to visit the dealer if you’re experiencing malfunctioning like that.
Good artical will look for these on my next buy
thanks
Yeah I’m really liking this Knowledge Center
I am not a huge fan of all of the features. I enjoy driving and some things to me like the back up camera can be both distracting as well as helpful. I also do not like when you are in traffic and the car will stop on its own.
Traction control is a must for my next car now
I like all the safety features you have listed but feel some are more important than others. The blind spot indicator is very important to me as is the adaptive cruise control. I don’t like the head up display because I feel it can be too distracting.
Good advice. All the added tech, however, is one reason almost any crash can “total” a car rather quickly. All those airbags and machinery to replace gets costly.
You hit the nail on the head. Increasing amount of tech for all these features is putting a strain on buyers.
Yes, true. A older car with airbags depoyed will likely be deemed a “total loss.” However, that’s better than loss of life or serious injury.
How great are new cars!!
I like all the 8 safety features. they are innovative
These safety features are a game changer. I really like rear cross traffic warning and forward collision warning and prevention.
I like all of the suggestions except the Head-Up Display. I’ve used it and I agree with Bonnie Miller that it’s a little distracting and appears to be unsafe.
While I can see how looking away from the windshield is dangerous when driving, I don’t see how running a bunch of information across my line of sight on the windshield is any safer. In fact, if that information is always in my line of sight, I think that would be less safe.