Terry’s Auto Service and Towing: History of Car Safety Features (Part 2)

History of Car Safety Part 2 from Terry’s Auto Service and Towing

In the last Terry’s Auto Service and Towing blog, we began the look back on the history of car safety features. In today’s blog from Terry’s Auto Service and Towing, we are continuing our look through history and current car safety features. The last blog left off with the implementation of mandatory safety features like seat belts and padded dashboards. Let’s continue our walk through history on the Terry’s Auto Service and Towing blog.

Proper Driving Training and Techniques

As manufacturing regulations began to be put into place, training and regulations for the drivers were also being developed. When cars first became popular, there were no tests to pass to become certified to drive. People were taught by friends and family. This lack of guidance and regulation was a large contributing factor to car accidents and injuries. The government and other organizations soon realized that proper training on how to operate a vehicle properly reduced car accidents, and soon set up requirements and guidelines to that effect.

“Solving” Crash Issues

As seat belts and other safety features became mandatory in vehicles, many other safety features were invented with various levels of success. Most of these inventions were focused on reducing the effect of an impact if a person was in a vehicle at the time of an accident. Many of these inventions were not at all practical.

Introducing Airbags

One invention to reduce the impact from a car accident did gain popularity: airbags. However, airbags did not become a safety requirement until the 1980s due to pushback from the vehicle manufacturers. Combined with the three-point seat belt system (that drivers and passengers were not legally required to use until the 1990s), airbags helped reduce injury and death in a large number of car accidents.

Bigger and Better Cars Lead to Safety Problems

While cars were gaining new features to make them safer, they were also gaining features that made them bigger and faster than ever before. This added more need for better safety features, and soon side impact airbags and other features became standard in many vehicles.

Utilizing New Technologies

Car manufacturers are still working to create cars that are safer than ever before. Some of the latest developments include backup cameras that help reduce blind spots, sensors that can automatically stop a car before an impact, and more. As technology advances, the safety features on vehicles are bound to get better and better.

Keep Your Car Safe with Terry’s Auto Service and Towing

At Terry’s Auto Service and Towing, we care about your safety and the safety of everyone on the road. Our auto shop provides a number of services to ensure that your car is working in prime condition. We also offer 24-hour towing services and roadside assistance for when those accidents do happen. For more information on the services we offer, check out the Terry’s Auto Service and Towing website or contact our office today!