According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost 8,000 lives were saved from fatal car accidents in the year 2012 as vehicle design and enforcement of safety laws improve.
Since 1993, automobile engineers and manufacturers have focused on safety, adding features to their designs that reduce the risks for serious injury and death in automobile accidents. In 2012, there were close to 34,000 motor vehicle fatalities including individuals involved in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, and truck accidents. Staying on course to improve safety features in cars, and enforcing road safety laws, will help the downward trend to continue.
According to an article in Reader’s Digest, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identified nine automobile safety features that significantly reduce the risks of fatal and serious car accident injuries. The most effective protection identified for all vehicle occupants was the use of seatbelts. NHTSA reports that over 50% of all fatal car accidents in 2012 involved unbelted drivers and passengers. Seatbelts with manually adjustable shoulder straps and automatic locking mechanisms, along with lap and shoulder belts in rear seats, have helped save countless lives. Airbags used in addition to seatbelts keep drivers and passengers from coming into contact with the dashboard, steering wheel, and windshield, and help rear seat passengers avoid colliding with side windows and door panels in the event of a crash.
Head restraints added to the top of the driver and front passenger seats prevent severe whiplash and other neck injuries in rear end collisions. While most cars have manually adjustable head restraints, newer vehicles have an automatic feature that regulates the head restraint when the seat is adjusted, or if the vehicle is involved in a collision.
Anti-lock brake systems and traction control features on newer vehicles assist drivers with vehicle stability and control while engaged in situations requiring sudden stops, loss of control, or adverse weather conditions. Electronic vehicle stability control systems also help drivers by automatically applying break pressure to one or more wheels to avoid a rollover and prevent vehicles from going off of the roadway when they are sent into a spin.
Automobile manufacturers have also been studying the impact a vehicle’s weight has on injuries sustained in a collision. Preliminary research indicates that the heavier vehicles have fewer fatalities or serious injuries reported than lighter weight cars. Further studies are being conducted to determine what the optimal weight should be, and whether or not the weight of a car provides better protection.
