By 
There have been many safety advancements in private and commercial vehicles in recent years that make our roads safer. Whether you drive a consumer vehicle or a tractor-trailer required to follow ELD Canada rules for hours of service, these safety features are making driving safer for millions of people around the world.
Check if your vehicle has been equipped with some or all of these features – they could save your life!
Table of Contents
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
The safest cars, trucks, and SUVs are those that are equipped with modern technology. One of the most advanced systems offered today is ACC or Adaptive Cruise Control. ACC uses radar sensors to keep your vehicle safe from the vehicles in front while cruise control is activated. Here’s how ACC works:
- The driver sets the cruise control at the desired speed.
- The radar system keeps the vehicle a safe distance from the one in front.
- If the vehicle gets too close, the ACC uses the automatic braking system to slow the car.
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
One of the biggest problems for consumer and commercial drivers is distracted driving. The problem is mostly caused by using personal electronic devices while driving, especially younger drivers. AEB systems can prevent collisions before they happen. If an impact is about to happen, this system will:
- Alert the driver with an alarm, but some systems have a vibrating steering wheel and seat.
- If the driver does not apply the brakes quickly enough to avoid a crash, the system engages the brakes immediately to prevent or lessen the collision’s impact.
- If the driver needs more stopping power, the safety feature below deploys.
Dynamic Brake Support (DBS)
Many vehicle manufacturers are adding additional braking systems to help drivers avoid or reduce a crash’s severity. A DBS system helps by doing the following:
- Add brake pressure if the vehicle senses the driver’s braking will not stop the car before impact.
- If the driver does not apply the brakes, the DBS system activates and automatically engages the brakes to avoid the crash.
Forward Collision Warning
A forward-collision warning system can eliminate many distracted driving crashes. This safety feature uses cameras, radar, and laser to alert drivers when they are getting too close to obstacles in front of them. The vehicle sounds an alarm and applies emergency braking to avoid a severe accident.
This life-saving technology can prevent many high-speed rear-end crashes that happen in areas with heavy traffic.
Blind Spot Detection
Every vehicle has blind spots that require the driver to use extreme caution when changing lanes. With blind spot detection, these accidents are a thing of the past. Cameras and lasers watch for areas on the side of the vehicle that contain blind spots. An alarm alerts the driver if there is a vehicle in your blind spot, and you start to change lanes.
Rear-View Camera
This safety technology is related to a back-up camera. The latter has a restricted field of vision intended to prevent backover accidents. A rear-view camera has a wide-angle lens, so the driver has a broad view of what is behind them.
Lane Department Warning (LDW)
Video cameras and lasers are used to monitor the lane markings on a roadway. If the system detects the driver is moving from the lane of travel, it will sound an alarm. This technology prevents many accidents caused by distracted driving and fatigued driving.
Each of these new vehicle safety technologies is helping to make our roads safer. As more consumer and commercial vehicles are equipped with these life-saving devices, we can expect fewer accidents, injuries, and fatalities worldwide.
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