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Should you believe the hype? 3 vehicle safety features explained

On Behalf of | Feb 23, 2018 | Car Accidents |

You see advertisements that tout this or that vehicle safety feature as a life saver. However, some reports show that certain safety features might create hazards instead.

Cars.com provides some information to help you evaluate whether you want to invest in a vehicle that has the following safety features:

1. Cameras and sensors

Cameras have proven so effective at eliminating dangerous blind spots that they will soon be a required feature on all new vehicles. Not all cameras are the same, but in general, the more your vehicle has, the more they might be able to help.

If you are not ready to purchase a new vehicle, you could add sonar sensors to the one you have. These do not provide you with as much information as a camera would, but still might keep you from backing into someone.

2. Blind-spot monitoring systems

Although cameras reduce blind spots, there are some questions that arise in connection to the effectiveness of blind-spot monitoring systems, according to the cars.com article. Say you are about to change lanes and you check your mirrors. If there is a vehicle beside you, the system should trigger a light on your mirror or a beeping sound to let you know about it. However, if you are an attentive driver, you are likely to see most vehicles that would trigger the warning by proper positioning and doing a head check. The lights, beeping or other alerts may end up being a distraction, and, depending on the situation, you may be better off disengaging it.

People who want the system to replace the need to look might only be putting everyone around them in danger of a sideswipe crash, as faster moving vehicles and motorcycles might not always be identified quickly enough.

So, there are various things drivers may want to consider when it comes to this auto safety technology.

3. Adaptive headlights

Driving at night in an area with dark, winding roads, you could come across a person on a bicycle, an animal or a slow-moving vehicle at any turn. Normal headlights give you limited input as you swoop around the bend, but swiveling headlights move in the direction of the turn, giving you more warning that something is ahead. A review of insurance claims showed that drivers owning vehicles with this safety feature filed up to 10 percent fewer claims.

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