Tony's Tips - Will Your Next Car Be Safe For You And Your Family?

Dear Appreciated Friend,

How safe is that new or used vehicle that you’re thinking of buying? Also, are you aware of the safety features your present car has (or doesn’t)?

Road traffic accidents killed 43,000 people in the US in 2002, injuring another 1.6 million (220,000 of them seriously). Motor vehicle traffic crashes were the eighth leading cause of death among all ages that year. But broken down by age, crashes were the No. 1 cause of death for every age from three through 33.

How can you make sure that that new or used vehicle you want to buy is safe for you and your family? Accidents can happen no matter how careful you are. However, there are some things you can look for in your next car before buying it. It is also important to understand some of the safety features your present car has.

We at Tony’s Body Shop are committed to bring you the latest information for your safety and well-being. This issue of our newsletter gives you a Vehicle Safety Check List to learn about your present car or one you are considering purchasing in the future.

Safety Checks Before Buying Your Next Car

Crash-test ratings. Check out the crash-test ratings for that car you’re interested in buying. These rating inform you on how well that vehicle will stand up to head-on and/or side-impact collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conduct crash tests on motor vehicles. The NHTSA surveys are only on cars after 1994. You can check the scores online at www.safercars.gov. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a safety-research group that conducts its own series of crash tests at higher speeds and with different criteria than the NHTSA. You can find their ratings for all their tested vehicles at the IIHS Web site, www.hwysafety.org. Both the IIHS and NHTSA crash-test results are comparable only to vehicles within the same weight class as the tested car. If vehicle weights are very dissimilar, the results could be very different.

Accident avoidance. It is important that your vehicle have the capability to help you avoid accidents. Key features to consider are braking and emergency handling, acceleration, visibility, driving position, and seat comfort (which affects driver fatigue).

Tires. Tires are the most important safety feature in a car. Make sure they are of high quality and in excellent condition; they affect the way the car handles in all traffic and weather conditions. It will soon be mandatory for all new cars to have tire pressure sensors alerting you of low pressure in a tire before it causes you to get in a accident.

Size and weight: Larger and heavier cars are usually safer in collision then smaller ones. In relation to their numbers on the road, small cars account for more than twice as many deaths as large cars. Please note that SUV-to-car collisions are six times more likely to kill the occupants of the smaller vehicle when compared to a normal car-to-car collision. You may be safer inside an SUV, but you're at greater risk of killing others in the event of an accident.

Rollover resistance. Taller vehicles, such as SUVs and pickups, are more likely to roll over than passenger cars. According to NHTSA, SUVs have a rollover rate that is two to three times that of passenger cars. In 2002, 61 percent of all SUV fatalities and 45 percent of pickup-truck deaths were the result of a rollover. By contrast, only 22 percent of passenger-car fatalities were because of a rollover.

Seat belts. Seat belts have been mandatory equipment in new cars since 1967. Initial use was low (20% in 1970), but education and legislation increased their usage to over 70% by 1987. Three-point lap-and-shoulder belts provide the best protection in a crash. A lap belt without the shoulder strap won’t protect the upper part of the body from moving forward in a crash or panic stop. The comfort of the belts is also important, because some people won't wear them if they're uncomfortable. NHTSA reports that seat belts reduce occupant fatalities by 45 to 60%.

Air bags. Mandatory in all new cars since 1998, air bags inflate very quickly in the event of a severe frontal crash. They are designed to work together with the seat belt and do not eliminate the need for a seat belt (the SRS in "SRS Air Bag" stands for Supplementary Restraint System). NHTSA reports that airbags reduce occupant fatalities by 30 to 35% (depending on the type of vehicle). Nevertheless, NHTSA recommends that babies, children under 12 years old, and people under 4' 7" should NEVER ride in the front seat of a vehicle, because rapidly inflating airbags can severely injure or kill small front-seat occupants. If there's a child in your life and you have a two-seater, ask your dealer to install a disconnect switch for the passenger-side airbag. You don't want it permanently disconnected; airbags DO save adult lives.)

Headrests. Mandatory in all vehicles since 1967, headrests are supposed to provide protection against whiplash in rear-end collisions. In reality most headrests provide little to no protection. European automobiles rate far better than domestic or Asian models in this area. An effective headrest is directly behind the centerline of the head, needs to be tall enough to cushion the head above the top of the spine, and be positioned no more than a couple of inches away. See www.Crashtest.com for head restraint ratings for most new and used vehicles as well as IIHS (www.hwysafety.org).

Anti-lock brakes (ABS) help you stop shorter and maintain steering control while breaking especially on slippery surfaces. ABS control brake pressure to help prevent wheel lock-up during braking, so you can steer and maneuver around obstacles during braking.

Traction Control System (TCS) is an option that improves traction and stability on slippery roads, using a combination of electronics, drive train control, and ABS. TCS applies brakes at drive wheels and reduces engine torque to help reduce wheel spin during acceleration. It works across a full range of speeds, whether you’re accelerating after a stop or passing on the highway.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is a system designed to electronically detect and assist the driver in critical driving situations. ESC compares a driver’s intended course with the vehicle’s actual movement. When instability is detected, ESC automatically applies brakes to individual wheels and can also reduce engine torque to help keep you on track. It is especially recommended for SUVs.

Child Safety Car Seats. Child-safety seats save lives and should be used until a child is big enough to use the vehicle's regular safety belt. Check out the ease of use of installing a reliable child’s car seat in your next vehicle. For full information on ensuring the safety of your child’s car seats go to http://www.KeepKidsHealthy.com/ that lists A-rated car seats for ease of use and safety as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ In addition, look for power window switches and door locks that you can control (and will) so that your increasingly curious toddler or young child doesn’t experiment.. dangerously.

Something to think about:

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.” -C. S. Lewis

“The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality.” -John Quincy Adams

“Follow your bliss and what looks like walls with turn into doors.” -Joseph Campbell

Why should you refer your family and friends to Tony's Body Shop?

What we offer with every repair job:

Guaranteed color match

Accurate panel to panel alignment

Repairing the vehicle to a safe condition

Your 100% satisfaction is our goal.

At Tony's Body Shop you can still find service, a smile, and a sincere thank you if you allow us to service your auto body needs.

Please feel free to call us if we can be of help or guide you in any way.

This newsletter is brought to you by an independent who has to work harder to make your car repair decisions easier.

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