The topic of safety is never far from your mind when you think about your children, especially as far as driving is concerned. Car safety will always be one of those eternally debated topics, and yet there are people who text while driving, or continually put their lives in danger by being maniacs on the road, but will blame drivers. While this isn’t something we have any control over, we can at least make our vehicle as safe as possible by picking the right type of car for our family. Is there a certain type of car that’s safer than others? And surely every new car is safer now than they were years ago, right? Let’s look under the bonnet.
While safety is a priority for our families, it’s the car costs that are lodged firmly in our minds when we’re on the hunt for a new vehicle. And it’s hardly surprising really. Our parents before us most likely bought an old banger that did the job, had no airbags and it never had any issues getting from A to B to X. But the difference is that there weren’t as many drivers on the road back then. Every year, almost 600,000 cars are put on the roads of England every year, and that’s not counting Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. And as the population increases, naturally, the amount of drivers do too, so the likelihood of car accidents and compensations claims will rise, which means that insurance premiums will increase depending on the area you live in. So it’s inevitable that people look for second-hand vehicles, and if you’re thinking about this, it’s not a bad thing at all, but you need to research thoroughly into the car itself.
When you’re looking for a used car, it’s important to remember that older models aren’t necessarily safer because they were “built to last.” Nowadays, you can buy a used car that’s around five years old and have the standard features that were unheard of even ten years ago. ESC (electronic stability control) would be commonplace in a new-ish small car, which would fare well in an accident if you compared it to an SUV from over ten years ago. And, while an SUV is a larger vehicle, and would obviously fare better in an accident against a smaller car, the point is that so many modern cars have far more sophisticated safety tech on board. Even when you’re looking for a car that’s cheap, if it’s new enough, there will be plenty of safety features to ensure that you and your family are well protected.
And while the features can offer peace of mind when buying a used car, the responsibility lies with you to make sure it’s still in good condition. This can be a double-edged sword, because if you blindly bought from a private seller without checking the basics. But for most of us, we’re simply not aware of checks we can get on a prospective car, such as the HPI check, or knowing which cars are classed as “Category D,” which have been in car crashes before. But if you’ve bought a used car, regardless of the condition, it’s your responsibility to maintain it.
As a busy parent, it can be the last thing on your mind, but it’s a habit you need to get into, and things like checking the oil or the air in the tyres need to be done on a regular basis. At least if the oil needs changing, you will have spotted this well in advance before a problem cropped up. There are plenty of car servicing companies that can change the oil, and places like Jiffy Lube and standard mechanics have it as part of their basic service anyway. Cost is a big factor for most of us, and so we would tend to avoid a trip to the mechanic if we can, but when you’ve got a used car, and especially if it’s old, you’re running a risk by not having it checked regularly. But you can compare Jiffy Lube prices from autoserviceprices.com to get a cheap deal, and as many car servicing companies offer inspection services and help with maintenance while you’re there, it’s worth having the car checked over for peace of mind. But that is the risk with buying a used car, regardless of how old or new it is.
When it comes to researching how safe a car is, there are lots of resources available online, and one is the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme). They perform crash tests on most models, and you can get more details on what they do here. This can be very handy when you’re undertaking research into what is the best car for you and your family. You can search for a model and see what the rating is out of 5 stars, the more stars, the better it fares in a crash. The cars are rated are in relation to four areas, the protection of the driver and passenger (classed as “adult protection”), child protection, pedestrian protection, and the safety assist features. As a resource, this should be part of your research when buying any car, new or used.
When asking the question of if newer cars are safer than older models, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Because of the fact that cars are better equipped to handle road traffic accidents and as well as ESC, you also have ABS (anti-lock brakes) and ISOFIX seat mounts that are compulsory for every new car. Newer models are safer, but when buying old or new, it’s still essential to find the right vehicle for your needs. And yes, as the budget will always be an overriding factor for every parent buying a car, that doesn’t mean that the lower the cost, the more the safety will be compromised. So, unless you’re going for a car that’s over 30-years old, safety doesn’t need to be a big worry, but you do need to make sure that you’re doing your part and looking after the car too!
