5 Must-Have Features in a Car Wheel
Founder and Managing Partner
By Yosi Yahoudai Founder and Managing Partner
If you have been in the market for a new car, there are a few things that California car accident attorneys suggest you make sure are on your list of must-haves to help protect you. Not all vehicles are built prioritizing your safety, and when some of these top safety picks aren’t on your list, you could be increasing the chances of an accident or an injury. Here are our top five items safety items to include in your search for a new or used vehicle.
Top 5 Vehicle Safety Features, According to California Personal Injury Attorneys
#1 – Airbags.
While airbags might seem like a no-brainer, and most vehicles come equipped with a driver’s side airbag, you should also be looking for additional airbags to help protect you in the event of a collision. Driver and passenger airbags typically will deploy if you get into an accident that involves the front of your vehicle. However, some cars come equipped with several additional airbags. The supplemental airbags can help protect you in many different circumstances or accident types. The additional airbags include side curtain airbags, knee airbags, and inflatable seat belts.
#2 – Forward Collision Warning and Braking.
While airbags and seat belts are generally a minimum safety standard on vehicles, the following four safety features on the list are modern. A forward-collision warning is a system that detects objects in front of your car that you are approaching too quickly. While some of these systems will only sound an alarm to help alert the driver to braking, others will apply emergency braking. While these features are expected to be standard in the next few years, it may take some scrutiny to find them today.
#3 – Blind spot monitoring.
Changing lanes on multi-lane freeways or highways is one of the most common forms of an accident. Additionally, these accidents usually occur while traveling at higher rates of speed and can be much more dangerous than a simple fender bender. Blind-spot monitoring helps alert drivers when there is a vehicle in the driver’s blind spot. This safety feature often triggers a light on the mirror when a car enters that location or can sound an alarm if the turn signal is initiated while a vehicle is in the blind spot.
#4 – Lane Keep Assist.
This safety feature helps to track the location of the vehicle within the painted lines of the road. If the turn signal hasn’t been turned on and the car begins to near either side of the lane, a beep, vibration, or visual indication can let a driver know that they are veering into another lane. Lane keep assist makes minor adjustments to the steering to help keep the vehicle in its lane.
#5 – Inattentive driving monitor.
The number of accidents caused by inattentive driving continues to increase. Many state and local authorities have passed laws that ban phones or other handheld devices while driving. While these efforts help to curb these accidents, inattentive driving can go much further. In addition to alerting the driver when their eyes are not on the road, it can also help warn a driver that they are getting fatigued and at risk of falling asleep. Some of the most advanced technologies will gently apply the brakes or slightly move the steering wheel to get the driver’s attention.
If you are considering a new vehicle, it is crucial to find the car that will keep you out of harm’s way. These five top safety features can help keep you out of the hospital and on the road. Contact our office today if you have been injured in a car accident or by a defective vehicle.
Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article,Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.
Popular car features
Now that we’ve covered some useful car safety features it’s time to tell you everything about some popular and cool car features you may want to think about when shopping for your next car. They’re in no specific order but we aim to give you a flavour of why these should be interesting for your driving needs.
1. 360-degree camera system
Rearview cameras are quite commonplace these days. They’ve proved very helpful when parking a car or pulling out of a parking lot. However, some car manufacturers have gone further by introducing 360-degree camera systems.
360-degree camera systems are located around the car – in the grille, below the side mirrors and the rearview one – and are a very useful car feature. They give you as a driver a bird’s eye view of the vehicle as if you were looking at it from above and outside. And they help you check for children and objects around the car at all times.
2. Sunroof
A sunroof is a movable panel in a car’s roof that opens to uncover a window. They’re not the most sophisticated of car features – and they’ve been around for decades – but are quite popular because of the extra light and/or fresh air that they allow in the vehicle. What’s not to love about being able to watch the sky above your head while cruising through Britain’s roads?
3. Leather Seats
Although they can be cold in winter and boiling in summer, leather seats add a touch of luxury to any driving experience. Many manufacturers these days use man-made substitutes like Tesla, which takes pride in their vegan-friendly upholstery. You’ll usually find leather (or vegan leather) seats in higher trims and premium vehicles.
4. Heated Seats
Heated seats are an absolute lifesaver when you’re battling Britain’s cold and wet winters and autumns. There’s nothing like warming up and feeling cosy on a cold morning or after a long hike in the rain. Heated seats are also great for drivers and passengers with lumber issues, so look for them if you think you’ll love them.
5. Lumbar support
When you’re spending many hours behind the wheel of your car you’ll want to be comfortable, especially in your back and lumbars. In that case, it’s worth investing in a car with adjustable lumbar support – as it’s still quite rare as a standard feature.
6. Heated steering wheel
Up there with heated seats, a heated steering wheel is a great extra for British drivers, given the less-than-ideal weather. As its name suggests, a heated steering wheel will keep your fingers warm in winter, just when you need it the most.
7. Parking Cameras
Plenty of modern cars already come fitted with parking cameras, which come in handy when you need to see out the back in a parking situation. These make parking and reversing much easier and safer for the driver and everybody else.
8. Remote Start
Remote start is quite a common car feature in colder countries and it’s getting popular everywhere else. Not all cars have it but the possibility of pre-heating the interior or demisting windows before getting in is quite appealing.
9. Navigation systems
Gone are the days of navigating the roads using only road maps and street signs. Now most new and modern cars come with sat navigation features – as an option or as standard – or at least the possibility of connecting to your smartphone’s Google Maps via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Some of the newest sat nav systems can adapt to traffic conditions or even show you real images from Google Map so that you can identify a location with more ease.
10. Apple CarPlay / Android Auto
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are two very sought after car features these days. Both allow apps from your smartphone to be used directly through the multimedia system of a car. This means you can stream music, read text messages, take phone calls or navigate using Google Maps without having to touch your smartphone.
11. Head-up display
Although not standard or common in most cars, head-up displays allow you to see vital information like the fuel level, speed or navigation in the windshield, directly in front of the driver’s eyes. Like that, you won’t have to look down and will be able to keep your eyes and focus up, increasing safety on the road.
12. Keyless entry
These days, a lot of car models (new and used) come with keyless entry. That means that you can open your car’s door and even the boot with just a push of a button in your keys. It’s practical, convenient and easy.
13. Fast USB charging outlets
USB charging outlets have become a very precious commodity and car feature at a time where almost everybody hits the road with a smartphone in hand, plus other gadgets if you’re travelling with your family or friends. Imagine being able to plug them all in at once so that you can use them when you reach your destination.
Unfortunately, not all USB outlets are fast charging. On average, a typical USB outlet in a car charges at 0.5 amperage, which is quite slow for charging a phone, especially if it’s using an app while being plugged in. So, if you know you’re going to satisfy the needs of driver and passengers alike, look out for cars that offer fast-charging USB outlets.
14. WiFi Hotspot
Did you know that some of today’s cars come with WiFi hotspots? In case you’re wondering why you’d need such a thing, this car feature provides WiFi in the vehicle and allows passengers to use mobile devices without using up their data plans. The downside is that if you want a WiFi hotspot in your car you may have to pay a monthly fee. So it’s only really worth it if you’re going to be using it a lot.
15. Rear entertainment systems
Anyone travelling with children will welcome rear entertainment systems. These are a helpful and practical solution that will keep the kids engaged and entertained while ensuring a more peaceful road trip for the driver.
Rear entertainment systems are usually optional and offered with premium vehicles and trims of most models. If you want them, look for them. Alternatively, if your car has fast-charging USB outlets a cheaper tablet can also do the trick and keep the children busy.
16. Auto-dimming mirrors
Auto-dimming mirrors are great at reducing the glare in the rearview mirror coming from the headlights of the car behind you. Anyone who’s driven at night will know how blinding these can be. Thankfully, some new car models have started to introduce auto-dimming rearview mirrors that reduce that glare and help you maintain good visibility when it’s dark on the road.
17. Multizone climate system
Think beyond air conditioning and dual climate systems. Car manufacturers these days have started to introduce multizone climate systems. This means that everyone inside the vehicle gets their own climate controls so that they all are as comfortable as possible when travelling.
18. Bluetooth
Bluetooth has been around for quite some time now but is still a useful car feature if you need to take calls while on the move – or you just want to stream your tunes or favourite podcasts. Luckily you won’t have to search hard to find a car with Bluetooth, as it’s now a standard feature in practically every modern car. On top of that, adding it to any older cars is quite affordable and painless.