Why safety in cars is so important?
Today on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, a lot of us would be either planning to buy a car or already in the process of making a decision. We Indians are obsessed with big, cheap and attractive. But here is the one thing that should ideally be on the top of your priority list of features – safety. While we at CarWale are always there to help you with the details and prices of the cars you shortlist, here are a few pointers that will keep you safe when you take that plunge.
Structural Safety
Safety comes in various forms starting from the structural design. While all cars sold in India adhere to the safety norms prescribed by the Government of India, there are some cars that exceed these norms. For such cars, you can feel the weight of the doors along with the heavy thud when you close them. God forbid, if you ever happen to be in a mishap, it is the structural safety that will bear most of the brunt and minimise the damage that might be caused to you. NCAP ratings are a good indicator to measure safety, but be informed that in most cases, the India cars and the Europe cars are built differently.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
ABS is generally offered only with the top-spec cars or as an option that you will have to pay for. Indian manufacturers like Maruti, Volkswagen, Toyota and Hyundai are slowly making ABS a part of their standard equipment. ABS(along with EBD or ESP) will help you be in control of the car under panic braking or when you are braking on uneven, slippery surfaces. What this helps is in avoiding the mishap rather than minimising its after effects. So, even if you have to stretch a bit, availing ABS would be the best choice. Remember, a stitch is time saves nine.
Airbags
Airbag is another tool of impact mitigation. When the impact sensors cross their threshold, the airbags deploy to create a cushion between you and the hard structure right in front of you. The cushion helps avoid impact with hard objects and also ensures that your deceleration is reduced, thus mitigating the gravity of the impact. Sudden deceleration might not result in external injuries but internal bleeding or organ failure may occur as an after effect. In case you are worried about costs, make sure you have a Zero-dep insurance policy in place.
Seatbelts
Usage of seatbelts in mandatory and there is a good reason to follow it even if it makes you uncomfortable or crumples your pressed clothes. In case of mishap, it prevents you from being thrown around thus reducing the chances of injury. Also, if you do not wear seatbelts, the airbags might not deploy – another safety nightmare. It holds you close to the seatback and the headrest thus minimising the chances of whiplash injury as well.
Traffic rules
We all might have observed that the traffic situation is getting worse by the day. While we would want to blame it on the number of cars, we might also want to introspect on our driving mannerisms. We love to drive in the first lane, generally reserved for overtaking, while we drive leisurely at our own speed. We do not even bother to let an emergency vehicle like an ambulance to pass. It is seen that at the sight of the slightest traffic jam, we speed on to the other side of the road trying to bypass it. In the meantime, we make sure that the opposite flow of traffic is also choked and the jam snowballs into a snarl. We must also avoid using the high-beam as much as possible, so as to let the oncoming traffic see where they are driving to. Abiding with traffic rules not only make you a good driver, but also as one who commands respect.
