Being safe on the road is of utmost importance. No matter how good of a driver you are, you never know what can go wrong. Therefore, it’s best to install important safety features in cars. These features help you stay in control of the road and your safety.

Most modern brands today have several safety features built-in to ensure maximum safety on the road. There are two broad categories of car safety fittings—Active safety features and passive safety features.

1. Active safety features

Active safety features refer to those features that are always active when the car is moving. They help the driver avoid an accident or collision in the first place. These features work by assisting the driver on the road or sounding an alarm when in potential danger.

Some of the common active safety features are:

• Automatic emergency braking (AEB)

The AEB system warns the driver with multiple alarms if it senses a potential collision. If the driver doesn’t take action, the system will force the vehicle to a stop applying the automatic emergency brakes. The automatic emergency braking system makes use of multiple cameras fitted around the body of the car to keep a lookout on the road and at other vehicles around the car.

• Lane assist systems

These systems help you stay in your intended lane. They can be known as either lane departure alert or lane-keep systems. Lane departure alert warns the driver that the car is not going on its intended path. Lane keep, on the other hand, automatically steers the wheel to bring the car back on its intended path.

• Pedestrian direction warning

This system can detect pedestrians on the road. It will immediately warn the driver of the same, and if the driver doesn’t take action, the system will activate AEB to avoid a collision. Some cars can even detect bicycles.

• Blindspot warning (BSW)

A BSW is a standard feature in many cars today. This system keeps an eye out on the areas you can’t. With a camera fitted around the car, this system can detect a vehicle in your blind spot and warn you. It will do so by sounding a chime or flashing a small light on your door mirror.

• Adaptive cruise control (ACC)

Adaptive cruise control uses a combination of systems to keep your car at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you. It will detect if the traffic slows down or speeds up and will automatically change the car’s speed to suit the traffic conditions.

2. Passive safety features

These features are activated on impact. Passive safety features in cars help save the lives of the passenger as well as the driver. It helps minimize the effect of impact on the driver and the passengers.

Some of the passive features in cars include:

• Airbags

Sensors in your vehicle can detect an impact and activate the airbags. It can also detect the severity of the crash and adjust the speed of inflation of the airbags accordingly minimizing airbag-related injuries.

• Seatbelt load-limiters and pre-tensioners

Seatbelt load-limiters allow your seatbelt to stretch a little bit to avoid ribcage injuries. While the pre-tensioners tighten your seatbelt to fix you to your seat upon impact.

Having these safety features in cars is a must. If not built-in, many brands offer to install it as optional features.