There is so much to consider when you purchase a new family vehicle. Buying a new car is the second biggest financial purchase families make next to buying a home. Price consideration is important, but unlike your house, your family vehicle needs to offer protection to its precious cargo at highway speeds. Here are ways to find a car that is safe for your family without compromising on the features and luxury you also desire.
Crash Safety
You have probably heard over and over again about five-star safety ratings or how a vehicle is top-safety rated in its class. You know that the five-star rating is best, but what about that mention of it being top in its class for safety? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) separates cars into classes, and then rates them for their safety.
A minicar, such as a Toyota Yaris, can be top in its class for safety, but you cannot compare its crash safety with that of a full-size sedan. Simple laws of physics that deal with things such as velocity and kinetic energy indicate that in a crash between a bus and a compact car, the compact car is not going to fare as well. Therefore, when considering crash safety, also consider the class of the vehicle you are planning to purchase.
Bad Weather Driving
You already know that a sports car for hauling around a family of five is not a good idea. It is important to consider how well your vehicle will handle bad weather driving. Years ago the majority of family vehicles were rear-wheel drive.
Front-wheel drive vehicles became popular in the 1980s. They were developed into production to improve fuel economy after the oil embargo on the 1970s that resulted in gas stations running out of fuel and the odd/even days to buy fuel, which was based on your license plate number.
The changeover to front-wheel drive also improved traction in bad weather. A further improvement is all-wheel drive and automatic four-wheel drive systems such as the family-friendly Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, which are available at Marshall Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
Safety Technology
Here is where you might have to make some compromises, as not every new thing in vehicle safety technology is available on every vehicle model. Legislative mandates are requiring certain vehicle safety technologies to become standard equipment such as the requirement for all vehicles to be equipped with backup cameras by May of 2018.
When you are considering safety technology, be sure to understand fully what each feature or optional upgrade provides. For example, some forward collision alert systems may only warn you to hit the brakes. Other systems may be able to take over and slow your vehicle down. Still, other systems have the ability to do an emergency stop.
It is important to know exactly what you are getting in detail rather than just having a general understanding of the safety feature. If you have questions, ask your salesperson to show you the documentation of the safety feature that comes with the vehicle. This is also important when deciding whether to buy used or the latest model year as safety features continue to roll out as technology becomes available.
Security Gadgets
Whether you are traveling in your car or on international travel, security gadgets are always reassuring and helpful. A GPS tracking device is one such security device that has multiple application areas to ensure a safe family car.
It can be used to protect valuable things such as your car and luggage. GPS tracking device basically let you connect with the things you love via Mobile applications. You can live track things and have notified about the movements. It has alert functions to protect various objects.
The best part is that you can use it for personal protection too. GPS devices always have the best connection even if your phone is not working. This is because of the special type of Sim cards(M2M) they have it to provide uninterrupted service.
Yes, it can be daunting to cover every detail you want in your family vehicle from its style to its color and making sure you have all of the convenience and safety features you want in the price you want to pay. It is a big decision, and you should get what you want. Make a list of your must-haves and things you would like to have, and then head on out to the dealership to find a safe family car.