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In a front page article of The Wall Street Journal, weekend edition (Saturday/Sunday December 20-21, 2014) titled Safety Gains In Newer Cars Cut Traffic Fatalities, Andrea Fuller and Christina Rogers report on the new federal data released December 19, 2014. The data shows that, overall, new cars are safer than old cars as the result of built-in and/or optional safety features. Traffic fatalities, as a whole, have fallen by just under two thirds over the past ten years.  In 2003, in the United States,  the number of traffic fatalities per 100 thousand cars on the road was 12, while in 2013 the number of fatalities per 100 thousand cars on the road dropped to 5. This fall in accident fatalities is attributed to the improved safety features of late-model vehicles.

Safety experts at the American Automobile Association Safety Foundation (AAA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) believe that one of the most significant safety improvements has been electronic stability control systems. These systems make vehicles much less likely to roll over.

John Capp, the Director of Global Vehicle Safety for General Motors, said, "Stability control is huge, and it is heads and shoulders above any other technology since the seal belt."

Despite the extraordinarily large number of vehicle recalls in 2014, the preliminary figures for 2014 are showing that newer cars are safer.

"When shopping around for a vehicle in 2015, please consider the value of having the new vehicle technologies even if they are not standard equipment, but options. These technologies may save you and others when involved in traffic crashes," said Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

What safety features to look for in 2015 vehicle models:

Adaptive Seatbelts

Professor Matt Reed, a research specialist in the Biosciences Group at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, points out that the increased number of older drivers and their older passengers on the road are at much greater risk of being hurt in crashes than others. By 2020, the projections of the Census Department shows that there will be 40 million drivers age 65 and older, which is up from, the slightly over 32 million in 2008. These projections have been influencing vehicle manufacturers to improve vehicle technologies which will decrease danger. An important example of this is the new technology which is becoming available known as "adaptive seat belts". The IIHS found that 77 percent of drivers 65 and older wear their seat belts too high on their bodies to provide the full benefit in crashes. Older people have more fragile bones, and wearing seat belts too high may result in injuries even in minor crashes. Adaptive seat belts overcome this problem by automatically adjusting to the driver's stature and weight and even age, as the age adjustment can be set by the vehicle dealer at the time the vehicle is purchased.  

Smart Headlights

This safety feature senses the location of other vehicles and automatically knows when and where to dim or brighten the headlights, even to varying degrees, so that a driver can see better and further down the road.

Collision Mitigation Systems

This feature automatically brakes a vehicle that is about to crash into another vehicle in front of it. The current technology reduces a vehicle's speed should it be close to hitting another vehicle, but the technology does not stop the vehicle from avoiding a collision.

Side Blind Zone Alert

Short-range radar sensors in the rear quarter panels of a vehicle detect other vehicles in the driver's "blind zone". This technology warns the driver when a vehicle is in the blind zone, and then warns again if the driver attempts to change lanes while another vehicle is in the blind zone.

Lane Departure Warning

If a vehicle strays into another lane without the turn signals being activated, this technology warns the driver both visually and audibly.

Lane Change Warning

If a vehicle senses the driver is changing lanes without activating a turn signal, it warns the driver and automatically activates the appropriate turn signal.

Smart Cruise Control

When a driver activates a vehicle equipped with smart cruise control technology, the system will automatically reduce the speed of the vehicle based on the vehicle in front of it. This feature, which is also known by some manufacturers as Forward Collision Alert, detects a potential collision based on closing speeds. (the diminishing distance between two vehicles in motion) It alerts the driver, in enough time, to maneuver safely.

Rear Vision Cameras

The popular safety feature of the last few years has now been improved to provide a driver with a visual view of what is happening in front of  the vehicle in addition to what is happening behind the vehicle.

Electronic Stability Controls

Electronic stability controls have been required on all vehicles from the 2012 model year forward. A National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) report estimated that this technology saved more than 1,100 lives in 2012 alone. Some of the 2015 models are equipped with, or may make available as an optional add-on, an advanced version of the electronic stability controls. The advanced version, among other things, provides stability even in strong cross-wind conditions.

Vehicle manufacturers may, for marketing reasons, call some of the above-listed safety features by different names. Whatever they are called, drivers should consider what they do. Further guidance on the safety features will be found on the IIHS website under the heading: Top Safety Picks.

Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.