Vehicles have come a long way since the first automobile was invented in 1885, and nowhere is that more evident than the abundance of safety features found on modern vehicles. From airbags to accident avoidance systems, most vehicles on the road today are equipped with a broad range of features designed to help prevent collisions and help protect the vehicle's occupants if a crash occurs.

Whether you are researching new vehicles or simply looking to learn more about your current vehicle's safety features, here are the common vehicle safety features you need to know about.

Airbags

Since 1999, the US government has required automakers to install driver and passenger airbags in every vehicle. The last line of defense against serious injury during a collision, airbags are inflatable cushions that deploy when a severe collision is detected. Front and side airbags are the two most common types of airbags installed in vehicles, though some vehicles come equipped with knee airbags as well.

Seat Belts

Another vehicle safety mainstay, all vehicles come equipped with seatbelts and every state except New Hampshire has "click it or ticket" laws requiring front seat occupants to wear seat belts. According to the CDC, people who are wearing a seat belt during a collision are 30 times less likely to be ejected from the vehicle than those who are not.

Anti-Lock Brakes

Brakes are more than capable of stopping a vehicle's wheels from spinning in an instant. Locking the wheels up like this is dangerous since it can cause you to lose control of the vehicle. To prevent this, modern vehicles come with an anti-lock brake system that uses sensors in each wheel for optimal braking action.

Traction Control

Traction control is an electronically controlled system designed to limit wheel spin and re-route power to wheels that are actually getting traction. This is an essential feature when driving in wet or icy conditions.

Electronic Stability Control

Electronic stability control is similar to traction control. Rather than preventing a loss of control due to a loss of traction, though, electronic stability control is designed to help prevent drivers from losing control during a turn. Sensors detecting wheel speed, steering angle, sideways motion, and rotation feed information to a computer. If these sensors detect that the vehicle is starting to slide or skid, the electronic stability control system will brake one or more wheels and/or reduce engine power to correct the vehicle's course.

Accident Avoidance Systems

Many newer vehicles come equipped with a wide variety of accident avoidance systems. This includes systems such as forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.

Protect Your Vehicle With a Policy From National General

Today's vehicles come with plenty of safety features designed to keep you and your passengers safe on the road. When it comes to protecting the vehicle itself, an auto insurance policy from National General is your best bet! To learn more about the affordable, high-quality policies we have available, be sure to reach out to your local National General agent today.