A Brief Introduction to Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness

According to the World Health Organization, almost 800,000 people die every year across the world due to fatal road accidents. Hence, vehicle safety and crashworthiness have become the biggest concern of car manufacturers and buyers. In a well-designed vehicle, a safety mechanism works to keep the occupants safe in different car crash incidents. Modern vehicle safety systems allow car occupants to walk away from an unexpected crash that may have been fatal twenty years ago.

Most of the time when people drive a car, they think of prevention as the best way to avoid a traffic accident. Driving at the speed allowed, respecting traffic signals, not performing risky overpasses and sudden stops are some actions that many drivers carry out every day to avoid unfortunate traffic accidents. But in case an accident happens, the vehicle should be fully prepared for a collision.

Vehicle safety and crashworthiness are recognized as most important aspects to consider before and the aftermath of a car accident that mostly occurs due to defective car components. Vehicle safety involves different features that work in conjunction with safety cages, seatbelts and airbags to absorb the impact of the striking force. When the system functions correctly, the safety components protect the occupants to avoid serious injuries in the event of a collision.

Different vehicles offer different levels of road safety. Different features and combinations also impact on the safety of the occupants. A car with a high safety rating and safety features provides the best protection in an accident.

Car manufacturers carry many crash tests to assess a vehicle’s structural design and restraints. A vehicle must be designed in such a way that effectively distribute potentially damaging forces to other areas of the body to resist serious injuries to the driver and passengers. Specific design elements that are intended to overcome the force of a collision must include:

  • Steadfast Airbags
  • Seatbelts
  • Deformation zones

These three features are specially designed for the purpose of preventing ejection from the vehicle, reducing the risk of fire and minimizing occupant injuries as much as possible. If any of these components mentioned above is found to be defective in its composition and production, the crashworthiness of the vehicle could be affected adversely.

Thousands of traffic accidents occur year after year. Driving is a high-risk activity that not only causes damage but also injuries and deaths of drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Therefore, you must drive a vehicle that not only has the necessary mechanism to avoid a traffic accident but also diminishes its effects on the driver, its occupants and others involved in this event. An unsafe car can cause a magnification of the damage caused by the collision. Therefore, you must pay attention to elements of vehicle safety and crashworthiness to avoid the adverse effects caused by a traffic accident.