What is a safe car?

A Tata Motors official said it is easy to equip cars with safety features in India. 8220;But,8221; he added, 8220;in a country where low cost of ownership plays an important role in car-buying decisions, the purchasers prefer not to pay the extra Rs 30,000 or Rs 40,000 on these features.8221;

He pointed out that road conditions also have to be factored in. You can8217;t expect roads full of potholes not to take a toll on your car. The vehicles will get damaged, compromising both their efficiency and their basic safety.

There is a body that oversees issues of safety on Indian roads. The Automotive Research Association of India ARAI works in consultation with the technical committe of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. But it is the ministry that notifies any relevant change in the Central Motor Vehicles Act8212;ARAI does not have any powers of its own to mandate safety rules.

However, India is not unmindful of international safety standards. According to well-known car designer Dilip Chhabria, 8220;The country8217;s basic safety norms are stringent and are based on European norms8212;though India might lag a year or two behind the rest of the world in implementing them.8221;

Chhabria said Indian-made cars are not well designed enough to absorb head-on collisions. Therefore, cars like Swift and Getz8212;built to international standards8212;might log higher points than, say, the Mahindra Scorpio in a crash test. It is time, he says, airbags were made mandatory in Indian cars. This might add a tad to the cost of the car8212;but it could well prove to be the price of a life.

It is important to know and understand the safety features in a car. Many manufacturers may use other name for the same features.

TRACTION CONTROL:

This system improves stability and steering control during acceleration by controlling the front drive wheels which can spin when excess power is applied. When the wheels begin to spin or when negotiating a turn, this system automatically adjusts the engine power output until traction is regained. It also applies a braking force to selected wheels during acceleration. The traction control is useful when starting from a standstill position in wet conditions. The system operates at all speeds.

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM:

If a car8217;s wheels lock during emergency braking, the driver might lose steering control and this can cause the car to skid. ABS prevents a car8217;s wheels from locking and allows the driver to maintain steering control as the car slows down. This safety feature helps in avoiding a collision, especially if the car skids on braking.

SEAT BELTS:

Slamming the brakes imposes a great deal of force on all objects inside the car. What the seatbelt does is distribute that force to the strongest parts of the human anatomy8212;chest and pelvis. Without it the occupant will continue to move forward in a frontal impact until the passenger hits the windscreen, steering wheel or dashboard which may lead to serious injuries or even instant death.

AIRBAGS:

Airbags are commonly located in the centre of the steering wheel and above the dashboard on the passenger side. They are designed to activate instantaneously on impact to form a cushion as the head and chest of the occupant flex forward. There are also side air bags which reduces the risk of hitting the door or other objects.

CRUMPLE ZONES:

There are areas of a car8212;like the front or the rear portions8212;which are designed to absorb the crash energy and minimise the impact transferred to passengers wtihin when the vehicle collides with a solid object. These are called crumple zones.

COLLAPSIBLE STEERING:

The column of the steering wheel collapses and absorbs the impact in case of an accident .