There’s nothing wrong with driving an older car. In fact, it shows a certain level of fiscal responsibility by not making a move to upgrade every couple of years. However, one benefit to swapping out your vehicle is getting the latest and greatest safety technology available on the market. Although, if you don’t want to upgrade your car, you can still upgrade its safety features. Keep reading below for six ways you can upgrade your car’s safety features without buying a new car.
Backup Camera
Backing up is one of the most dangerous ways to drive because the trunk of your car isn’t shaped to allow you to see what’s behind you. Furthermore, if you’re backing out of a parking spot you have limited vision side to side because of the cars next to you.
Cartoys.com says, “Thousands of backup crashes every year could have been prevented had a backup camera been in use.” A backup camera not only allows you to see directly behind you as you reverse out of a parking spot, but it comes with a fisheye lens that allows you to get a panoramic viewing angle up to 190 degrees. You can back up without worry that there’s another vehicle or even a child running behind you.
Blind-Spot Monitoring System
Checking your blind spots when changing lanes can sometimes not only be tricky but dangerous. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual to miss somebody as they approach your hip pocket from time to time. This is where blind-spot monitoring systems come in. A sensor placed on either side of the rear bumper of your car will detect another vehicle if it happens to be in your blind spot when you go to change lanes, which will then send an alert to you in the form of a small chime or even vibrate your seat if you so choose.
Performance Tires
As long as you’re sticking to the recommended guidelines for the tread on your tires, they’re going to be safe. But you can still do more to improve the safety of your tires. If you like to drive hard and fast (who doesn’t?), consider making the switch to performance tires. These specialty tires are equipped with unique tread patterns that are designed to improve your handling and response. Yes, these tires will wear out faster because the tread doesn’t run as deep as traditional tires, but you’ll notice the difference as soon as you put them on your car and you’re going to love it.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
You don’t have to drive the newest Acura to get a head-up display on your car. You can get a HUD installed into your dash to show your driving speed, placement within your lane, and driving directions on a transparent display on your windshield. This will not only make you feel like a fighter pilot but keep your eyes on the road so you don’t have to regularly look away to check your speed or if you have a turn coming up.
Go Wireless
Get rid of the cluttered wires you use to connect your phone to your car stereo. Auxiliary cords are out. In fact, so are charging cables. Upgrade your car stereo to something that offers Bluetooth connectivity and keep your phone tucked safely in your pocket without missing a beat. If you don’t want to spend the money on an entirely new stereo deck, you can buy a Bluetooth adaptor to plug into your current stereo.
If you have a smartphone that’s compatible, get rid of your charging cable and go with a wireless charger. You can lay it down inside your center console and plug it into your power outlet. From there you can simply lay your phone on the charger as needed then quickly get in and out of your car without having to plug or unplug your phone.
Window Tinting
In addition to adding a sleek look to your car and protecting the interior from the sun, window tinting will protect you during a crash. It’s not uncommon for glass to break and spray throughout the cabin onto passengers. If your windows are tinted, they’re covered on both sides of the glass by a strong adhesive that will keep the shattered glass in place rather than let it scatter. You and your passengers will be happy that you were able to avoid further injury. While not a substitute for using visors or sunglasses, tinted windows will provide a measure of protection for your eyes and skin as well.
Tags: car accessories
