by Briar Miller

Created on: November 07, 2008   Last Updated: November 16, 2008

There are hundreds of thousands of cars out there, hurtling around at crazy speeds. When early steam trains first hit 14 miles per hour, it was thought the passengers would be at risk of suffocation! We are all wilfully taking chances every time we get on the road. Around 115 people die every day in the US as a result of car crashes. (car-accidents.com)

The majority of these accidents were caused by distraction or intoxication, or by the mechanical failure of a vehicle (RoSPA). Given that for many of us, not driving is not an option, we need to maximize our chances of avoiding accidents and minimize the damage if we are involved in one.

In the first instance we can make sure we get the safest car we can. There are lots of resources for this including Which? and RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) More specifically you should consult EuroNCP for crash test results on any make of car.

In 2006 A Department of Transport report found that men and women have specific vulnerabilities and needs, due to their differing patterns of car use, and their physical differences. It is worth looking into this. For example, if you will mostly need to do short journeys during rush hour, in a small car, you will need different safety features than if you are doing long motorway journeys in the middle of the day.
'Put your seatbelt on in case we have an accident'

Many very young children believe that wearing seatbelts prevents accidents. Seatbelts do save lives. Make sure your car has enough seatbelts. Ones with three points of anchorage are more secure than lap belts, especially for children. They should be worn as snugly as possible, with the lap strap crossing the pelvis, not the soft parts of the stomach. In addition, it is worth looking out for cars with devices which tension the seatbelts and load limiters which prevent them damaging your chest.

Current legislation says that all children must be suitably restrained in a car. There are a lot of different car seats and booster cushions for children so make sure you choose ones that are appropriate for their size and weight.

Airbags

Most new cars are fitted with airbags. They are awkward things, but better a face full of airbag than a face full of steering wheel. Ideally there should be six in the front of the car. Some cars also have rear ones to protect passengers legs. They are intended to work in conjunction with seatbelts and properly adjusted seats.

Airbags have been known to cause injuries themselves and it

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