Buying a Safe Family Vehicle

305 days ago

What features are important to you in a car? If you are like most people, then you are probably going to look at make, model, price, car insurance rates and fuel efficiency first – but what about safety? People generally assume that all vehicles are created equal when it comes to safety, but if you have children or are expecting to have children, then safety should be your number one concern. The following are some tips for buying a new car for the family, and some safety features that you should look out for.

Consider Buying New

While you will end up paying significantly more money for a new rather than used car, can you really put a price on your family’s safety? Every new model of car built is updated with the most recent safety features, meaning that new (or at least newer) cars are always going to be safer than the older versions.

Crash Test Ratings

When you’re trying to narrow down the make and model of car you want for your family, always find out the crash test ratings for each. Crash scores give crucial insight into the protection that is offered by a vehicle, and is a great parameter to use when comparing many different models. The experts recommend for people to buy cars with a four- or five-star crash test rating for both front and side impact tests.

Rear Parking Sensors or Rear-mounted Camera

Especially if you have a large family that requires a large vehicle, it can be difficult to get a sense of what’s behind you when you’re backing up. Rear parking sensors (also called Rear Park Assist) or a rear-mounted camera will always ensure that you are aware of objects that are behind you when reversing.

Passenger Airbag Deactivation

Although airbags save lives, they can harm younger children who aren’t properly restrained in a car seat or booster seat. This is why it’s important that children under the age of 12 always stay in the back seat. If, for whatever reason, you need to have your child seat in the front, then only do so if you can deactivate your passenger airbag. Many newer vehicles come equipped with an airbag occupant sensor system, which can sense if a child is in the seat and so will not deploy in a crash. Similarly, you can look for a vehicle that has an on/off switch for the passenger airbag as well.

Storage Space

When travelling with kids, you are likely to have heaps of cargo as well, such as strollers, sporting equipment and so on. Too much cargo lying around in a vehicle can be very dangerous for passengers should you get in a crash. If you will be hauling lots of stuff in your vehicle, then look for one that has plenty of storage space that will keep all your cargo in place should you have to break suddenly.

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)

LATCH is the newest system that ensures car seats are properly installed in the vehicle. A surprisingly large number of people actually don’t have their car seats installed properly, which puts babies and young children at unnecessary risk should there be an accident. LATCH is now a standard feature in new vehicles, but always check and make sure a car has it before you make your decision.