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What safety features should you prioritize for your teen’s car?

On Behalf of | Jul 16, 2021 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury

If you’ve got a newly minted teen driver, you’re likely deciding which of the family cars is safest for them to drive. You may even be considering adding a new car to the family fleet. 

If you are car shopping, you’ll find that many have a number of high-tech safety options that are either standard or can be purchased for an added cost. Which of these options is most beneficial to a new (and likely easily distracted) teen driver?

Automatic emergency braking (AEB)

These systems go by different names depending on the manufacturer. However, what they do is apply the brakes if the system senses that the car is about to hit something. This is no substitute for allowing enough distance between you and the car ahead of you. However, it can help lessen the severity of a crash, even if it can’t always prevent one.

Lane-keeping system

Many cars will now alert you if you start to wander out of your lane. Still, others will actually nudge the vehicle back into the lane. These are safety features that can prevent a crash caused by a second or two of distraction.

Blind-spot monitoring

We’ve all had those instances where we looked in all the mirrors before we changed lanes but neglected to turn around and look in our blind spot. A blind-spot monitoring system alerts the driver whenever there’s a vehicle approaching – usually with a beep or flashing light in the side-view mirror.

Rear cross-traffic warning

This is also a type of blind-spot detection. It will beep or otherwise alert you if it detects a presence approaching the area behind your car – whether it’s a pedestrian, bicyclist or car. This can be particularly helpful in busy parking lots when you’re pulling out of a parking space.

These are just a few safety features to consider. You can get any number of others, including one that mutes the radio or other audio play until all seatbelts are fastened. There are also apps that can help you monitor your child’s driving.

Of course, no driver should let their vehicle’s high-tech features take the place of keeping their eyes and mind on the road. Negligent and reckless drivers can seemingly appear out of nowhere. If you or a loved one has been injured, it’s important to hold them and their insurance provider responsible for your expenses and damages.

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