With so many great safety features being included in vehicle designs these days, it’s easier than ever to find something that will make you feel secure when you get behind the wheel each day. Whether you are buying a new or used vehicle, it’s essential to make sure that your vehicle is equipped with the features that you’re looking for. You also should make sure that these features are working the right way. Let’s take a closer look at some safety features to double-check when you are buying a car.

Airbags

In the event of a crash, properly functioning airbags can prevent a variety of injuries, including serious spinal injuries. This is one of the first safety features to be added to a vehicle after the seatbelt. This is a hard feature to check on your own. A lot of vehicles have airbag sensors that are tied into the various seats in the vehicle. When you sit down, the airbag function will be engaged. In the instance of a collision, the airbag will go off. It the sensor didn’t engage because it malfunctioned or nobody was sitting in the seat, then the airbags wouldn’t deploy in that spot. You can easily test the sensors by sitting in the various seats and waiting for the lights to click on or off. They are usually located somewhere on the front-dashboard display.

Rearview Camera

A relatively new safety feature is the rearview camera. You can use this piece of technology to help you with parking while in reverse. A rearview camera can also help you monitor the area behind you for pedestrians, pets, items that you could hit, etc. When you test drive a vehicle, make sure you switch on the rearview camera to confirm that it gives you a clear picture. You should also drive in forward and reverse, monitoring the camera’s angles.

Seatbelts

It’s a simple safety feature in a vehicle, but you could end up in a deadly situation if you are involved in an accident with a malfunctioning seatbelt. Make sure that you sit in each seat, and connect the seatbelt in each area. It should click in properly and stay put. In the front seats, you should take note that the dashboard recognizes that your seatbelt has been fastened. This is a pretty simple repair to have done if need be. You just want to make sure that you know about an issue ahead of time. You should also make sure that the tension in the straps stays properly tight to make sure it can hold up in case of an accident.

Keep in mind that there is a number of safety features that you can pay to have added to your car after it has been manufactured. If you’re purchasing a family vehicle, you’ll probably want to take advantage of all the features that are available to you. If you have any questions about what is available, you can contact the manufacturer for more information.