For most teenagers and adults, getting a driver’s license is a no brainer. Cars and trucks allow you to go to work, school, the grocery store, road trips and on other adventures. At the same time, everyday driving puts you at risk of getting into an accident.

Luckily, most auto manufacturers produce vehicles that are not only comfortable and fuel efficient, but also equipped with innovative safety features that can prevent accidents and save lives.

While some safety features, like seatbelts or airbags, have been around for decades and are mandatory in all passenger cars, light trucks and vans, others are still optional. Interestingly, some safety features that used to be a luxury are now becoming essential components of safe driving.

As automakers compete for customers, they’re constantly working to improve safety features in their vehicles. These safety features are often the most crucial selling points for present-day drivers.

The Evolution of Vehicle Safety Features

Whatever car you’re currently driving is more than likely much safter than the vehicles your parents and grandparents drove. Safety wasn’t always a concern or a priority for auto manufacturers until government agencies, like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), mandated several safety standards, including crash-test ratings for new cars, airbags and anti-lock braking system.

To illustrate how far auto manufactures have come, here are some historical facts concerning vehicle safety in the U.S.:

• 1939: Buick is the first automaker to add electric turn signals to its cars
• 1950: the Nash Rambler is the first car to feature seatbelts
• 1955: Michigan becomes the first state requiring driver education
• 1974: General Motors is the first auto manufacturer in the U.S. to release cars with airbags
• 1984: New York is the first state to mandate the use of seat belts; Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia follow in 1985, 1986 and 1988, respectively
• 1999: Airbags become mandatory for all passenger cars, light trucks and vans

How Have Standard Safety Features Improved Over the Years?

Whether you’ve recently purchased a brand-new car or a pre-owned car, it’s presumably equipped with standard safety features like safety belts, airbags, ABS and traction control.

While many of these safety features have been around for decades now, auto manufacturers have gone to great lengths to improve the quality of their safety equipment. For instance, older airbags could seriously hurt or even kill children and small adults when deployed.

Nowadays, as the technology has progressed, many airbags come equipped with sensors that detect the person’s size and weight and adjusts the force of deployment upon impact. Additionally, many auto manufacturers include side airbags as part of their safety features. Although not mandated by law, side airbags protect motor vehicle drivers and passengers from the dangers of a side impact.

Seatbelts have also undergone dramatic changes over more than half a century. Back when seatbelts were first introduced, they used a two-point design, meaning they only fastened across a person’s waist. Nowadays, all seatbelts use a three-point design, which means they protect both the waist and the upper body from injuries during an accident.

New and Sought-After Safety Features in Vehicles

If you’re driving a relatively new car or truck, chances are it has one or more of these features:

• Blind spot monitoring: Alerts you when another vehicle is in your blind spot
• Adaptive Headlights: These headlights turn in the direction you’re driving to increase visibility
• Lane departure warning: Alerts you when you’re unintentionally departing your lane or merging without using a turn signal
• Backup camera: Allows you to see behind your vehicle and alerts you to other vehicles, people or object behind your car as you’re backing up
• Forward collision warning: Warns you of impending collisions

Purchase Your Next Pre-Owned Vehicle from Direct Car Buying

Are you looking for an affordable pre-owned vehicle equipped with innovative safety features? Look no further. At Direct Car Buying, we offer a rich inventory of attractively priced and versatile models to satisfy your unique driving needs.

Every vehicle we sell comes with a seven-day return policy and a 30-day/1000-mile complimentary warranty. For more information, call 877-927-6093 or send us a message.