Your Kid’s First Car: How to Pick the Right One
There are an endless amount of options when choosing to purchase a car and it’s especially difficult when trying to buy your kid’s first car. These days cars are becoming more advanced and there are now a whole host of additional safety extras on the market.
At one time, high-tech vehicle safety measures were available in brand new luxury cars, but now they come as standard in many vehicles. There are also a host of second-hand cars on the market with some pretty neat gadgets and safety features installed, meaning that you can pick a car for your child that is both practical and safe, whilst also being ‘cool’ – the perfect solution. Here are a couple of tips for finding the right car for your kid:
Consider Engine Types
In the past some people thought it was safer to purchase a small engine car for their child as the less power it had the less speed they would be travelling and the less chance of an accident. It makes perfect sense and to a certain degree this is still relevant today. What has changed in the past 10 years however is the advancement in other vehicle factors which offset the dangers of a larger engine by creating a safer car all round. Some people now believe that having a slightly larger engine than a tiny 1.1 liter will actually improve road safety.
Look for Safety Gadgets
If you’re concerned about your teen and accidents in their first car, there are lots of great safety features to look out for. These can help you to rest easy when they are out and about and they will also make driving easier for your child as they adapt to life in the car on their own for the first time.
Find Blind Spot Protection
A large percentage of accidents occur due to the blind spot and now thanks in no small part to blind spot sensors, this is an area which is improving. From parking maneuver scrapes and bumps to lane changing dangers, these devices are helping to make blind spot incidents a thing of the past. Look for used cars with blind spot protection at a company such as DriveTime, which has a huge selection of vehicles with varying safety features.
Get Rollover Prevention
Whilst it is obviously important to protect against minor accidents, rollover prevention is one of the more comprehensive car safety developments. Most automakers now offer these systems and they can literally be lifesavers. The idea is that the car is able to detect a potential rollover situation and take measures to prevent it by controlling the brakes and throttle to help the driver stay in control when whipping round a corner too fast.
Choose Occupant Sensitive Airbags
Environment sensitive airbags are helping to improve crash injury figures by a considerable amount. Not every driver or passenger is the same size and weight and people are not always sat in the classic ‘seated position’ in the vehicle at the time of a collision. Sensitive airbags can adapt to deal with different weight spreads and environmental conditions. They can even detect when a baby seat is in the car or when someone has leant forward to adjust the CD player.
Finding the perfect option for your kid’s first car is not an easy task, but if safety is a concern, keep these tips in mind when looking for your next car.
Category: Automotive, Car Purchase
