Active safety features help you avoid crashes:
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Tyres
Passive safety features help you and your passengers stay alive and uninjured in the event of a crash:
Airbags
Air conditioning
Automatic transmission
Cargo barrier
Cruise control
Daytime running lights
Head restraints
Mirrors
Over-speed warning devices
Seats
Seat belts
Steering wheel
Side curtain airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are the most important optional safety features.
The key benefits of ABS are:
- faster stopping on most surfaces
- you can steer and brake heavily at the same time
- lowers your speed faster (crashing at a lower speed may reduce impact and injury)
ABS works by releasing the brakes momentarily at the point of wheel lock up. This happens many times a second and helps the driver keep control of the car.
To check if your car has ABS:
- check the owner’s manual or ask the owner
- cars with ABS have a yellow/orange "ABS" test light that lights up on the dashboard when you start the car
- ask your mechanic or dealer.
Keep constant firm pressure on the brake pedal. When the ABS operates there may be a vibration or shuddering through the car and the brake pedal may pulsate. For ABS to work properly keep constant firm pressure on the brake pedal – Stomp and Steer.
Wheels can lock under heavy braking which may cause the car to skid. Many drivers without ABS try to release the brake and reapply it more gently to stop this happening, but in an emergency there may not be time for this.
More than 170 fatal road crashes happen in Victoria each year when drivers loose control of their car. Cars with ESC are less likely to be involved in crashes. If all cars had ESC, about 50 lives could be saved each year in Victoria.
ESC helps you to keep control of your car when you skid, swerve suddenly or when road conditions change. ESC reduces the risk of single car crashes by:
• correcting over steering or under steering
• stabilising the car during sudden movements (eg. swerving)
• improving handling on gravel and unmade roads (eg. road shoulders)
• improving traction on slippery or icy roads.
ESC is not sold separately. It is an in-built safety feature that is only available in certain cars. Cost varies between manufacturers and car models. A list of cars with ESC is available on the FCAI website.
ESC is also known as: Electronic Stability Program (ESP); Dynamic Stability Control (DSC); Vehicle Stability/Swerve Control (VSC) or Active Stability Control (ASC).
For more information view: Electronic Stability Control.
| Please note: From 1 January 2011, when new vehicles are first registered in Victoria, they must be fitted with ESC. This requirement applies to all passenger cars, off-road passenger vehicles, and forward-control passenger vehicles (e.g. passenger vans). Click here to read the media release. |
Tyres are the only contact between your car and the road. Good tyres make a big difference to the way your car responds to emergency manoeuvres and handles in wet and dry conditions.
Wear on tyre tread can reduce their ability to grip to slippery roads. If you’re buying a used car, check the tyres for uneven wear. Look for high/low or very smooth areas.
Front airbags can lower the chance of life threatening head injuries when used with seat belts. They are designed to stop your head hitting the dashboard, steering wheel and windshield.
Side curtain airbags protect your head from hitting the side of the car. They can stop you being injured if your car rolls over. They are usually found in the roof rails above the doors. They deploy downwards, creating a ‘curtain’ that covers the side windows. Crash testing shows that side curtain airbags can reduce the risk of injury or death by up to 45%.
Air conditioning can improve comfort and reduce fatigue, especially during long trips in hot weather.
Automatic transmission can reduce fatigue by freeing you from constant gear changing in urban or hilly conditions and allow you to give more attention to other driving tasks (eg. observing the traffic around you).
A cargo barrier separates the passenger area from the back storage area/boot. These are essential for station wagons. In a crash, even light objects can become deadly missiles if they are not properly restrained.
If you do long distance driving, cruise control is very helpful. It can help reduce fatigue on long journeys.
Daytime running lights turn on automatically when you start your car. Using lights during the day makes you more visible to other road users. Research shows that daytime running lights can reduce the chances of a daytime crash.
Head restraints are extensions of the car's seats that limit head movement during a rear-impact crash, thus, reducing the probability of neck injury. It is important they are adjusted to a height that suits you to help minimize neck and whiplash injuries in a crash.
Regular rearview mirrors have a manual day/night lever that you can switch to reduce glare from the sun or car lights behind you. Automatic-dimming rearview mirrors automatically darken to reduce headlight glare. They dim gradually as the glare gets brighter. Some cars also have outside mirrors that automatically dim as the inside mirror dims.
Speed is a factor in about 20 per cent of fatal crashes. An over-speed warning device will warn you when you exceed the speed limit.
A manual or power adjustable driver's seat improves safety by making you more comfortable. It also ensures that any sized driver has good visibility. Look for a driver's seat with adjustable lumbar support as well.
Seat belts are the single most effective way to protect yourself in a crash. Lap sash seat belts are the most effective, so check that a lap sash is provided in the middle back seat of your new car. In the event of a crash, seat belts are designed to keep you inside the car. They also reduce the risk that you or your passengers will collide with parts of the car (eg. the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield, or even other occupants). Seat belt warning devices help you and your passengers remember to buckle up.
Tilt or adjustable steering wheels allow different-sized drivers to position the steering wheel for comfort and safety, allowing the instrument panel to be visible at all times.