In today’s modern automotive industry, new technology has tremendously impacted many aspects of driving ability and safety. Automobiles are becoming more advanced each year. Some of the newest safety features are so impressive, that many buyers refuse to spend any kind of money unless their vehicle of interest is equipped with the majority of the newest safety features. Many drivers have even become so accustomed to some of the driving technology fit into their vehicle, that it is almost foreign to drive a vehicle unequipped with these attributes. When shopping for a new vehicle, buyers should attempt to make their purchase decision based on filling their driving gaps. The abundance of options and features may seem overwhelming, however, this short guide below may aid in the purchasing decision:

Frequent nighttime drivers: Adaptive headlights and drowsiness alert

Mobility challenged drivers: Lane departure assist, blind spot warning system, active parking assist

Inexperienced or new drivers: Forward collision braking technology, adaptive cruise control, and electronic stability control, also known as corner braking technology

These are just some of the most common types of drivers. Below is a short list of the latest safety features currently equipped in modern cars.

Lane departure warning/Lane keep: Lane departure warning alerts the driver by impulsing a small buzz to the driver’s seat or steering wheel if the driver accidentally crosses over the white lane lines or unintentionally leaves the lane without signalling. Lane keep on the other hand is similar, but it performs a little more than just a buzz or a warning sound. It will actually gently steer the driver back into the lane if the driver drifts out of the white lines. This may actually be an extremely helpful feature used to incentivise drivers to use their turn signals more.

Adaptive cruise control: This system locks on to the vehicle ahead using radars and sensors to maintain a safe following distance, automatically accelerating when required, and braking when traffic starts to slow down.

Blind spot detection: This system picks up what the driver may have missed when looking in their side mirrors by warning the driver through illuminating lights on the mirrors. These lights indicate vehicles are approaching from the rear.

Safety exit assist: An extension of the blind spot detection, this feature temporarily denies exit of the vehicle when cars and cyclists are approaching from behind. This system has the potential to become one of the most sought-after features among parents with young children.

Automatic emergency braking: If an automatic emergency braking equipped car senses a potential collision ahead, it will actually begin applying the brakes for the driver if they do not react in time. After the release of this feature, rear-end collisions have dropped by an astounding 50%. Although many owners complain of the oversensitiveness of the system, it may be turned off. However, this may not be a safe course of action, as the driver may become more vulnerable to getting into an accident. If this scenario occurs, here’s What to do After a Car Accident.

Given circumstances are safe and you are not seriously injured, move the vehicle out of harm’s way and turn off the engine. After stopping and safely exiting the vehicle, check on other passengers, drivers and pedestrians making sure no one is seriously injured. If anyone appears to be seriously injured, attempt to help them as much possible with their consent. Checking to make sure they are conscious, try to keep the injured as still as possible until authorised personnel arrives to the scene. It is crucial to approach accident victims with caution even if they ask for your assistance as most injured accident victims fall into shock post-accident. A shocked victim may panic and even attempt to hurt individuals attempting to aid in their condition.

Immediately call the police to the scene to get an accident report. This can help when dealing with insurance companies. If law enforcement is unable to come out to the scene because no one was injured, the driver may still file an accident report with the state’s DMV. Next, you will need to gather as much information as possible including the location of the accident, drivers and passengers’ names, license plate numbers, make and models of the involved vehicles, insurance information, contacts to any eyewitnesses, and names and badge numbers to police officers on scene. Lastly, take as many pictures as possible from the accident scene which will help in the claim process when you file your insurance claim.