Three-Point Seat Belts: Should be comfortable and easy to lock. Look for belt crash tensions, which activate in a collision to reel in belt slack and prevent forward movement.
Air bags: Double protection offered by traditional lap/shoulder belts against injury to head and upper body. Some designs offer side air bags for increased energy absorption during side-impact crashes and some offer additional head protection. Passenger air bags can be disengaged or modified to reduce the risk of injury to smaller passengers and children. Head Restraints: Position directly behind and close to head. Ensure adjustable restraints can be locked into place.

CRASHWORTHINESS

Choose a strong occupant compartment with front and read ends designed to buckle and bend to absorb and keep the crash force from the safety cage. Longer crush zones reduce damage to the occupant compartment. Stiff or short crush zones can cause the occupant compartment to collapse in a serious crash. Crash testing to determine crashworthiness is conducted by the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) which measures frontal crashes against a rigid barrier at 35 mph; IIHS measures partial frontal crashes against a rigid barrier at 40 mph.

SIZE & WEIGHT

Engine size, gas mileage, weight, maneuverability, braking distance, high performance and rollover tendencies all affect driving behavior. The IIHS “Driver Death Rates by Make and Model” lists overall driver death rates by vehicle relative to the average rate for all passenger vehicles in both single and multiple vehicle crashes. Cars with the lowest death rates include: large and midsize station wagons, passenger vans, luxury cars and utility vehicles. Cars with highest death rates include: small and mid-sized, sports cars, small two- and four-door cars, small pick-ups and small SUV’s.

CRASH AVOIDANCE

Anti-lock Brakes System (ABS) brakes, automatic daytime lights activated by ignition, and night vision all help to avoid a crash. Daytime running lights double your visibility to oncoming drivers.

THEFT & COLLISION

Check collision loss reports to rate your car. Insurance losses for vehicle damage are typically highest for sports and luxury cars and lowest for passenger vans and station wagons. Collision losses are most frequent for small cars, yet most costly for sports and luxury models. Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) have the highest theft losses (12 times the average).

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) weigh at least 4,000 lbs. more than traditional cars.
SUV’s are classified as light trucks.
SUV’s have a higher center of gravity – and bumper height - than do cars.
SUV’s have the highest fatal rollover crash rate of any vehicle class.
Consumers blame 4,000 accidents on alleged SUV brake failures.
Over 15,000 ABS brake failures filed for SUV’s: the highest complaint rate in the industry.

Environment/Economic Impact

SUV’s average 13 miles per gallon (mpg) compared to 27.5 miles per gallon for cars. In 1975, when Corporate Fuel Efficiency (CAFÉ) Standards were adopted, light trucks received more lenient efficiency standards than cars and comprised 20% of the vehicle market. Now light trucks, or SUV’s, comprise 40% of all new car sales. “The (auto) industry exploited the law…the development of the light truck was a way to escape CAFÉ standards.” – Dan Becker, Director of Sierra Club’s Energy and Global Warming program. Growing popularity of SUV’s made the late nineties the least fuel-efficient model years in decades.

When Driving Near an SUV

Leave extra room. Their rigid crush zone and greater bumper height are designed to crumple another car (underneath) in a 2-car crash.

Sharing the Road

Their higher center of gravity, combined with the abrupt maneuvers of drivers untrained in the dynamics of light trucks is why SUV’s have the highest fatal rollover crash rate of any vehicle class in history.

Warning

“U.S. auto-makers consistently oppose boosting CAFÉ, arguing that they would have to build smaller cars with less powerful engines. Yet almost all of the increases in fuel efficiency have come about through technological changes – not smaller cars. Japanese manufacturers have developed “leaner burn” engines, proving that cars don’t have to be tiny to be efficient. Fuel economy need not impair safety: improved design and the incorporation of new technology can enhance both crash avoidance and crashworthiness potential, while improving efficiency.”

- The Sierra Club

http://www.sierraclub.org
http://www.autosafety.org

Engines

Engines with four valves per cylinder (instead of two), for more efficient combustion, can improve fuel economy by 5%.

Valve Timing

Variable valve timing (VVT) adjusts airflow at different engine speeds, improving fuel economy by 12%.

Technology

“Lean burn” technology introduces more air than needed to the combustion chamber to engines with VVT.

Electronics

Electronically controlled gear shifting, automatic transmissions with five instead of three or four speeds, and continuously variable transmissions can raise mpg by 3-4 miles.

Front Wheel Drive

Front wheel drive vehicles have lighter drive shafts and require less fuel to operate. Shifting the 1.5 million rear wheel drive cars sold annually in the U.S. to front wheel drive would improve the fuel economy of each car by 12.5%.

Two Strokes

Two-stroke engines currently being tested improve fuel economy by 30% and cost 25% less to produce than conventional engines.

Direct Injection

Direct injection diesel engines, “idle-off” engines and other gas saving technologies will be available soon.

MUCH OF THE TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE 45 MPG CARS WITH MORE EFFICIENT ENGINES, TRANSMISSIONS, AND AERODYNAMIC DESIGN IS ALREADY AVAILABLE. SEEK OUT, DEMAND AND SUPPORT TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY.

http://www.nas.edu

Don’t Just Sit There.
Your safety depends on the condition of your vehicle. It’s the driver’s responsibility to maintain all equipment. Don’t wait for your yearly inspection. Keep the owner’s manual in the glove compartment. Check it regularly to note scheduled service reminders and to log maintenance. Oil changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles provide increased mileage, lower oil consumption and improve trade-in value.

Save yourself money, headache and the trouble of a breakdown. Learn to detect signs of wear and tear. Catch danger while it’s still only a little trouble.

Take safety precautions to reduce your personal risk. Use safety equipment, including safety belts, speedometer, etc.

Maintain your vehicle and all equipment. Know and obey traffic laws. Drive defensively.

Fluid Levels: oil, wipers, coolant, power steering, brake and transmission;
Brakes: for firmness;
Tire Pressure: and treads – keep an eye out for uneven wear;
Light Bulbs: in the trunk, under the hood and in the glove compartment;
All Lights: front, high and low beam, brake lights, directional and interior lights;
Belts, Hoses and Wires for Wear, loosening or dislocation;
Horn
Spare Tire and access to it. Gardening gloves for changing tires;
Contents of First Aid and Car Safety Kit: update and replenish as necessary.

IF YOUR CAR SHOULD BECOME DISABLED, TRY TO GET WELL CLEAR OF THE ROAD. KEEP AN EMERGENCY ROAD KIT IN YOUR TRUNK. WARM ONCOMING CARS WITH LIGHTS, FLARES, AND A RAISED HOOD. SEE YOUR DEALER OR MECHANIC WHENEVER YOU DETECT ABNORMAL SIGNS.

http://www.aaa.com

WARNING SIGNS
Brakes don’t apply evenly to all wheels.

Brakes grab.

Pedal goes down too far to floor.

ACTIONS
Out of alignment.

Slowly apply brakes to dry them.

Check brake fluid. There could be a leak in the hydraulic system. Brakes could require immediate repair.

DETAILS
As brakes and lining become worn, grease may seep in to cause slipping.

Water and dirt can filter in during wet weather.

Always check air filter during tune-ups: a clogged filter can hinder braking.
Driving with the parking brake on will wear it out. The park brake light should be kept in repair.

Wheel Alignment

WARNING SIGNS
Uneven steering. Reduced tire life.

ACTIONS
Check wheel alignment each time your car is serviced.

DETAILS
Poor alignment can cause excessive wear and looseness. Failure of the king pins as well as the components of the independent front wheel suspension system and tie rod: All dangerous situations.

Muffler

WARNING SIGNS
Loud muffler.

ACTIONS
Check and/or replace muffler.

DETAILS
A leaking muffler creates the hazard of monoxide poisoning and pollutes.

Lights

WARNING SIGNS
Low light level.

ACTIONS
Clean away dirt, check and replace bulbs as needed.

DETAILS
Make sure that headlights, taillights, and directional signals are clean and work properly.

Windshield

WARNING SIGNS
Poor visibility. Crack or divot.

ACTIONS
Clean it and replenish wiper fluid regularly. Repair or replace it immediately.

DETAILS
A dirty windshield can reduce visibility by 50% and distort perspective.

WARNING SIGNS
Dirt. Uneven wiping. Scratching.

ACTIONS
When washing your car, wash wiper blades with soap or alcohol. Replace blades as needed.

DETAILS
Windshield wipers should be in good operating condition at all times. Faulty wipers hinder vision and can permanently scratch windshield glass.

Oil

WARNING SIGNS
Engine running hot.

ACTIONS
Check oil level.

DETAILS
Change oil and filter every 3-5,000 miles, and before long distance travel

WARNING SIGNS
Excessive speed on curves, severe braking, over acceleration and sustained high-speed driving: all shorten the life of tires. Radials last around 40,000 miles, belted around 25,000, and bias from 15-20,000 miles. Front tires generally wear out faster than the rear. Avoid tire strain and blowouts on long trips. Excessive heat in a tire for long periods can cause it to come apart.

ACTIONS
Tires are the best buffer between you and an accident: Buy the best. Buy only the size recommended in the owner’s manual. Driving habits affect tire wear. Check wear often. Make sure treads are at least 1/8” deep, and that there are no cuts or slashes in the sidewalls or breaks in the fabric. When traveling at sustained high speeds, increase tire air pressure by four pounds above normal cold starting pressure. This helps reduce running temperature.

DETAILS
Tire failure is a major cause of expressway collision.
The friction of high-speed operation wears tire treads rapidly.
The faster you drive, the more tires flex, stretch and heat up, reducing their strength and durability.
Tires lose about a pound of pressure for every 10-degree drop in temperature.
Wheels out of balance or alignment decrease performance and wear off tread much more quickly.
Properly inflated tires save money. Underinflation can decrease mileage by one mile per gallon.
Rotate and rebalance tires every 6,000 – 8,000 miles or as recommended in the Owner’s Manual. This eliminates uneven patterns of wear and lengthens tire life span.

http://www.tisc.org

Standard Gear: Use it or lose it

Make protection a habit.
Cut your risk of death or injury in half: buckle up your safety belt – even for short trips, since half of all crashes occur within 25 miles of home. The driver sets the standard: wear your safety belt and make sure your passengers do too. Parents who buckle themselves are more likely to buckle their children.

Two for the Price of One

In a crash there are two collisions: first, as the vehicle hits an object and stops and secondly, as passengers within the vehicle strike the interior. Unbuckled passengers become human projectiles within the vehicle compartment.

DON’T BECOME SOMEONE ELSE’S HUMAN AIRBAG: MAKE SURE PASSENGERS BUCKLE UP

The shoulder harness reduces the severity of injury by protecting the head from striking the steering wheel, windshield or dash.
The lap belt allows the hips to absorb much of the force of the collision, reducing the force absorbed by the head or chest.

Together, the lap and shoulder belts keep you in your seat and distribute the force of the collision to body parts best able to withstand it.

Safety belts can also help prevent a crash. By maintaining your position behind the wheel and near the brake pedal, you are better able to stay in the driver’s seat and regain control of the vehicle.

Fasten all belts before the car is in motion. It requires two hands.

Make sure the seat is adjusted in the most comfortable position and locked in place, to prevent any free-sliding movement that could stop you from reaching the gas and brake pedals.

A sensor in the front bumper inflates the air bag contained in the steering column and the dash in front of the front-seat passenger. It takes about 1/25th of a second for the air bag to inflate. Air bags require no maintenance, however upon deployment they must be replaced.

Air bags may provide superior protection in frontal crashes, while safety belts provide better protection in side impacts, rollovers and rear-end collisions. Both systems must be used together.

“SMART” Air Bags

“Smart” Air Bags include multi-stage inflations and systems that can detect out-of-position occupants. Their deployment can be tailored to the size of the occupant and the circumstances of the crash. Smart Air Bags are available in 2000 model cars.

Air bags can injure children and small adults. Smaller and elderly passengers should move their seats as far backward as possible, keeping well away from the deployment area.
Consumers may now install on-off switches for air bags, if you:
Have a medical condition where the risk of air bag injury exceeds the risk of impacting the steering column;
Cannot position yourself with the center of the breastbone at least 10 inches back from the airbag cover;
Must transport infants in rear-facing child passenger seats or children between the ages of 1-12 in the front seat.

Side-Impact Air Bags

Side impact crashes account for about 1/3 of all passenger deaths. Though not federally regulated, side-impact air bags are a more common front-seat safety feature, so ask individual manufacturers. Usually located in the door frame or seat, some are designed to protect the chest and others, the head.
Some can sense when a child is too close.

http://www.nsc.org/airbag.htm

The momentum of a sudden stop or crash gives a 20-pound baby a 400-pound force. Because of their delicate bone structure, children need restraints designed especially for them. Child safety seats have significantly reduced infant and toddler deaths. All states require that young children ride only in approved safety seats.

Visit a child passenger safety fitting station, where licensed professionals can check your child’s safety seat and make sure it fits properly. Call your dealership, Department of Highway or Public Safety, Police or local Traffic Safety Agencies for details. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website lists child passenger safety contacts in each state. Call National SAFE KIDS Campaign to find a car seat check-up even near you: 800-441-1888.

As of September, 2002, all new vehicles and most child safety seats will be equipped with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) attachments. A new top tether strap fastens the child seat more securely, and two lower anchors – independent of the vehicle seat belt – attach from behind the seat bight to hooks on the lower frame of the child safety seat. The additional stability points reduce both a seat’s tendency to travel forward, and the arc of its forward motion, upon a short stop. Many manufacturers will retrofit existing cars free of charge.

http://www.safekids.org
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

Children under 5, weighing less than 40 pounds or shorter than 44 inches in height, should ride in a child safety seat.

Children weighing 40-80 lbs. and 40 to 55 inches in height should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat.

Properly fitting lap and shoulder belts reduce the potential for belt-induced injury which occurs where lap or lap/shoulder belt is a small child’s only restraint.

The child safety seat should be attached to the inside body of the car by a rear seatbelt, and anchored with a tether.

If no child safety seat is available, children should use the safety belt, which is safer than riding unrestrained.

The safest place in the car for a child is in the back seat.

Adults should not hold children on their laps. In a collision, they could crush their children, or the child could be torn from their arms and thrown about the car.

Children should not ride in the luggage section of a station wagon or in the hatchback.

Keep hatchbacks closed when children ride in the back seat, to prevent ejection or possible carbon monoxide poisoning.