3 Safety Features To Look For On Your Next Used Car
When you trade in your current vehicle and purchase a younger used car, make sure you upgrade to better safety features. Better safety features have been rolling out in vehicles for the past decade, so it shouldn't be hard for you to find a high-quality used vehicle with lots of hi-tech features that will help keep you and your family safe.
#1: Adaptive Cruise Control
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) has been around for a few years now and is a feature you should be able to find on most used cars around five years old or newer. Adaptive cruise control uses a system of radars and sensors that are mounted to the grill of your vehicle. These sensors read the speed of the car in front of you and allow your adaptive cruise control to apply the throttle or the brake as necessary to keep up with the flow of traffic, which can be great when commuting on a long and congested highway.
If conditions change and your ACC system detect a crash, it will heavily apply the brakes and tighten up your seatbelt to keep you safe.
#2: Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
Automatic emergency braking is designed to keep an eye on you when you are driving. It, like the ACC, uses sensors to detect the speed of vehicles in front of you. It is a passive system, always at work in the background. If your AEB system senses that a collision is possible and that the driver has not applied the brakes as they should, your vehicle will brake for you. AEB systems have helped to reduce rear-end collisions by applying the brakes faster than a driver could when a crash is possible.
#3: Lane Departure Warning
A lane departure warning system picks up on the painted lines on the road. If it seems that you are drifting over the painted lines and you are not using a turn signal to signify a lane change, your vehicle will issue a warning that you are drifting out of your lane. The warning varies by the vehicle manufacturer and individual set-up; however, it usually includes an audible buzzing sound or a buzz that you feel in your seat or steering wheel. The physical buzz is to make sure you are alert and allow you to take corrective action.
It can be easy to get distracted and drift out of your lane; a lane departure warning system will keep you safe.
When you look at used cars, you don't have to compromise on safety features. Many used cars that are five years old or younger come with a host of modern safety features. You should keep an eye out for three safety features: adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and land departure warning systems. All three systems can help reduce your chances of getting into or causing an accident.