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Buying a car in Colorado Springs? Safety is important

Let's start with the premise that no matter how good a driver you are, there is always the risk of an auto accident caused by someone else. You may then ponder the potentially immense cost of such a crash: material damage, serious injuries, or even death.

A few more thoughts; you won't be the only one to use this car, often it will transport those who are dearest to you. You probably will use it on a daily basis, covering tens of thousands of miles per year. Finally, all passenger cars are not equal from a safety point of view, some models will have a fatality rate of 125 per mrv (million registered vehicles) while others will score as low as 50.

We would guess that you have thought out and discussed all this, and that the car's safety is an important selection criterion. The question then becomes: what is a safe car?

There are several elements in a car that will determine your ability to escape serious injuries and death in a Colorado auto accident:

Crash avoidance technology: Most newer Colorado cars are fitted with anti-lock brake systems. An extension of this technology is the more recently developed Electronic Stability Control (ESC), which automatically engages to bring a sliding vehicle back onto the right trajectory. ESC is very efficient and will sharply reduce the risks of rollovers and single-vehicle crashes.Crashworthy design: The common perception in Colorado is that larger vehicles are safer. This is only true to a certain point: not all pick-ups are safer than small cars, and some smaller cars are safer than many SUVs. Moreover, larger vehicles are more expensive to buy and to use. The differences lie in the crashworthiness ratings for front, side, rollover, and rear-end crashes. Crash-worthiness is a combination of design, steel cage strength, and crumple zone (to the part of the car that absorbs the impact). Most vehicles are tested, and their crashworthiness ratings can be found on the Internet. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a good source of information on car tests.Restraints: These devices are an integral part of a car's crashworthiness rating, but they are mentioned separately because some of them are optional when you purchase your new vehicle. Most Colorado cars have airbags; if you are buying a used car, make sure it is fitted with airbags, and that they are in working order. If side airbags are optional, buy them; they are known to substantially reduce fatality risks in case of a side-impact crash. Look also at the seat design and head restraints that protect you from whiplash in a rear-end crash.

Colorado Springs Auto Accident Attorney Robert J. Anderson has given efficient and valuable support to thousands of victims of car crashes in El Paso, Denver, and Douglas counties, fighting aggressively for their rights to full and just compensation.
Call us today for a free consultation at 866-254-1274 (toll-free) or 473-3040 (local), or send us an e-mail.