Modern Cars: Safer Than You Think
The humble automobile has shifted gears dramatically in the safety department, turning today’s cars into veritable fortresses on wheels. Thanks to some proper boffins with their fancy degrees and a serious knack for number-crunching, the latest set of wheels not only get you from A to B but also keep you snug as a bug in a rug if things go pear-shaped.
The Evolution of the Air Bag
Invented way back in the ’50s, Air Bags have come on leaps and bounds since then. Early versions were like an overeager bouncer–well-intentioned but a bit too forceful, especially for the ladies and littlies. Engineers got to work, though, fine-tuning these puffy lifesavers so they’d deploy without causing a fuss. By the late ’80s, frontal air bags were the bee’s knees, credited with saving a whopping 50 grand in human lives. And just when you thought air bags were naff, car wizards introduced side air bags and side curtains to the mix. These days–they’re as common as a cuppa in most motors.
Keeping a Steady Course with Electronic Stability Control
Ever find your car dancing on ice like it’s auditioning for “Dancing on Ice”? That’s where electronic stability control (ESC) comes into play. This clever clogs of a system steps in when your car decides to take an impromptu twirl, automatically braking the cheeky wheels that are losing their grip. Since 2011, the law’s had your back–making ESC a must-have in all the new motors.
The Eyes in the Back of Your Car: Backup Cameras
Take the backup camera, a bit of kit that’s part and parcel of any new car nowadays. It’s like having eyes in the back of your head, showing you what’s lurking behind your vehicle’s derrière. Initially, folks thought the problem with backing up was not seeing the mischief directly behind them. But lo and behold, the real menace was often skulking in from the sides. Since 2018, reversing cameras became the norm, giving drivers a gander at a wider slice of the road behind them, reducing those heart-stopping backover crunches. However–despite best efforts, mishaps can still happen–especially in buzzing cities like Philly. In such cases, one of the wisest moves one can make is to contact a personal injury lawyer in Philadelphia as they’ll be able to give you proper guidance.
How Many Lives Were Saved?
The cars you see on the streets today are way safer than the ones your grandparents drove back in the swinging sixties. In fact–if you’re driving a car from 2012, the chances of something serious happening to you in a crash are more than half what they would have been in the late ’50s. The government agency in charge of road safety, the NHTSA, has some pretty impressive numbers. They reckon that all these nifty safety improvements in cars have gone from saving about 115 lives a year back in 1960 to a whopping 27,621 lives in 2012. Add it all up over the years–and that’s over 600,000 people who’ve been saved thanks to much better-built cars.
A Final Word on Motoring with Confidence
From inflation to deflation, vehicles today are kitted out to be as safe as houses, putting hearts and minds at ease. Whether it’s the historically heroic air bag, the fancy footwork of the ESC, or the all-seeing backup camera, motoring has never looked so secure. It’s a golden age for car safety, so next time you buckle up, take a moment to appreciate the clever kit keeping you safe as you ferry about.
