Vehicle Safety Features

Airbags are inflatable cushions built into a vehicle that are usually located in the steering wheel and on the passenger side dashboard. Steering wheel airbags were first implemented in the 1980s and became a requirement for vehicles manufactured in the late 1990s. Airbags are designed to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a head-on crash or collision. These standard safety features are required by law, and while they are included on every vehicle, they may vary in design. Some manufacturers implement knee airbags in their vehicles, which are mounted lower than typical passenger airbags and protect the occupant's knees against hitting the dashboard to prevent leg injuries. Other vehicles may even be equipped with side curtain and roof airbags designed to deploy in side-impact or rollover accidents. In the event of an accident, onboard sensors detect movements or impacts that indicate the vehicle has been in a collision. When these movements are detected, a small explosive device is detonated in the airbag module, triggering the airbag to inflate upon impact. It’s important to remember that while airbags are designed to keep you safe, each vehicle has different airbag specifications. For specific safety instructions and passenger warnings regarding the airbags in your vehicle, check your owners manual for more information.

Since the 1960s, three-point seatbelts have saved lives and reduced injuries in car accidents. Prior to that, seat belts may have been an optional accessory, and may have included a simple lap belt, or might have had two separate belts to secure drivers and passengers across the lap and the chest. Seatbelts and airbags are designed to work hand-in-hand to keep you and your passengers safe on the road. Without wearing your seatbelt, airbags can do little to protect you in the event of a car crash. The three-point seat belt is designed to secure your position in the vehicle and can spread the force of the crash across the strongest parts of your body. This is why the seatbelt straps across your chest, pelvis, and shoulders. A locking mechanism also reacts to quick movements of the seatbelt to prevent your body from moving forward in the event of an accident, but this can also be tripped accidentally and keep the seat belt from moving until it has been reset. Seatbelts are designed to keep you from ejecting from the vehicle upon impact, and can reduce the risks associated with vehicle collisions immensely. Seatbelts are required by law in most states, and drivers can be given a ticket if they are not wearing their seatbelt while operating a vehicle, or if any passengers are not wearing seatbelts. Your vehicle may also be equipped with a buzzer or warning chime to remind you to wear your seatbelt while driving, and depending on the vehicle, may feature seat or interior sensors to alert you if your passengers are not wearing their seatbelts as well.

The Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) helps you steer and stop your vehicle in emergencies by maintaining traction if the vehicle begins to slide while braking. When driving on wet or icy roads, ABS can prevent your wheels from locking up when you apply your brakes, which also minimizes braking distance over that of non-ABS vehicles. ABS is a required safety system and has been installed in all vehicles manufactured since the early 2010s, but ABS systems have been present on some vehicles for much longer than legally required. ABS monitors your vehicle's wheel speed to detect when a wheel locks up or loses traction during braking.If a wheel is locked, a sensor sends a signal to the ABS controller or the vehicle’s computer. The ABS valves and pump are then activated to release and pulse pressure to the brakes individually and repetitively. This gives the driver enough time to regain control of the vehicle and helps maintain safe braking until the brake pedal is released. If your ABS isn’t working correctly, or if one or more of your wheel speed sensors is not communicating with the ABS module, you will likely see an ABS warning light illuminated on your dashboard. However, it is important to remember that your vehicle's ABS can only do its job and keep you safe if your brakes are also in good condition and working correctly. For more information about symptoms of brake component failure or how brakes work, check out our helpful articles.

Electronic Stability Control, or ESC, is an electronic safety system in newer vehicles that helps prevent you from losing control of the steering in your vehicle on curves or in emergencies. ESC and ABS work best when both safety systems are functioning correctly, as they both rely on the same wheel speed sensors to collect information. When you begin to lose control and veer off of your vehicle’s path, the ESC is designed to stabilize your vehicle and help you regain control. Electronic Stability Control is activated when you start your car and stays on as long as the vehicle is running. If you begin to lose control on the road during hard or sharp steering maneuvers, ESC is activated automatically to help prevent over- and under-steering. ESC works by braking individual wheels to help you regain control on curves or sharp turns, while also decreasing engine speed to help you maintain control of the vehicle. ESC is composed of a variety of sensors that alert the system's computer to which way your vehicle is going, as well as the direction of your steering wheel. If these sensors detect that your vehicle isn’t traveling in the direction it should be based on these positions, this safety feature will help correct your car’s route by stabilizing your brakes and adjusting your speed. This safety feature is designed to help prevent rollovers and other accidents from occurring. To learn more about your vehicle's Electronic Stability Control system, refer to your owners manual.

The Traction Control System (TCS) detects when your vehicle loses traction on the road and helps your tires regain grip. This system is particularly helpful when driving in harsh weather or poor road conditions. Traction control became a common safety standard on vehicles starting in 2012, and often works alongside ABS to regain traction. TCS automatically engages unless you manually turn it off if necessary, which may be necessary if your vehicle especially if your vehicle has become stuck in mud, sand, snow, or other terrain. TCS works by collecting information from sensors attached to each of your vehicle’s hubs. These sensors can alert the control module when a tire is spinning faster than the speed that the car is going, which often occurs when your tire can’t hold traction on a wet or slick road. When this happens, your traction control light will illuminate on your dash, and your vehicle will automatically reduce your speed to help stabilize the car and regain your traction. Without TCS, a lack of traction could lead to hydroplaning or skidding. While it is recommended that you leave your TCS on almost constantly, there are a few road conditions where your vehicle's traction control might do more harm than good. If you are driving on sandy, muddy, or in some cases, snowy roads, TCS might make it harder to gain traction, and you might notice your wheels spinning more frequently. If this is the case, your traction control button is usually located on the bottom left or right of your steering wheel, or by your gear shift. You will receive an alert on your instrument cluster when traction control has been turned off and on so you are always aware of the state of your traction control system.

Your vehicle’s Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors the air pressure inside each individual tire. Sensors are attached to each wheel, either as part of the valve stem or clamped to the inside of the rim, and alert the vehicle’s computer if the tire pressure either exceeds or falls below the manufacturer-recommended tire pressure range for the vehicle. If the tire pressure is too low, your TPMS warning light will illuminate on your dashboard. You may get specific warnings about the tire pressure level in each tire depending on the design of your vehicle, and these types of systems often allow you to check the air pressure level of each tire from your instrument cluster. If this light is on, don’t ignore it. Not addressing an illuminated TPMS light can put you and your vehicle at risk. Underinflated or overinflated tires increase the risk of a blowout while driving, which could result in a car accident. If you’re not sure what to do when your TPMS light comes on, take a look at our article to learn more. We have also compiled several tire pressure tips to help you better understand your vehicle’s tires and TPMS.