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Safety Features in Your Car
That You May Not Know About
T
oday’s vehicles come with an abun-
dance of new features and technolo-
gies that can aid drivers, make pas-
sengers more comfortable and provide real-
time information about a vehicle’s health.
Most importantly, many vehicle technologies
today are designed with safety in mind and
have the potential to save lives.
The trouble is, too many drivers do not
realize these features exist or know how to
use them to their full potential.
A recent University of Iowa study found 40
percent of drivers have been startled or sur-
prised by something their vehicle has done
— a troubling finding given that car crashes
are a leading cause of preventable death in
the United States.
“Technology can be a game-changer
when it comes to safety,” said Deborah A.P.
Hersman, president and CEO of the National
Safety Council. “In order to fully recognize
the benefits of these new systems, drivers
need to be aware of them and also under-
stand their limitations.”
With this need in mind, NSC partnered
with the University of Iowa to launch “My
Car Does What” — a virtual owner’s manual
that demystifies the latest, most cutting-edge
vehicle features.
The campaign’s website, www.
MyCarDoesWhat.org, highlights technolo-
gies such as:
• Back-up cameras that provide a view of
the blind zone directly behind the car when
the vehicle is in reverse
• Blind spot monitors that alert drivers
when something is in their blind spot
• Forward collision warnings that warn
drivers when they are closing in on the
vehicle ahead too quickly
• Automatic emergency braking systems
that apply the brakes if the system detects an
imminent collision
• Anti-lock braking systems that prevent
wheels from locking up, helping to avoid
uncontrolled skidding and providing some
steering control in slippery conditions
• Rear cross traffic alerts that warn drivers
if traffic is approaching from the left or right
when the vehicle is in reverse
• Adaptive cruise control that maintains
the speed set by the driver and a pre-set fol-
lowing distance
• Lane departure warnings that alert driv-
ers if they drift into another lane when the
turn signal is not activated
For a full list of vehicle safety technologies,
explanatory videos, graphics and articles,
visit MyCarDoesWhat.org.
“The driver will always be a car’s best safe-
ty feature; no technology today will change
that,” Hersman said. “But these features can
help mitigate errors before they result in
deaths and injuries.”
*
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continued on page 34
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32 March 10 • 2016