Automobile Safety Essay

Intro Automobiles! You just have to have one in this fast paced world! In the United States, or maybe just in a popular city such as Los Angeles or New York, automobiles are necessary. People need to move from point A to point B. These points can be as close as a few hundred feet or even range up to a few hundred miles! When making these trips safety is a priority. There are hundreds of thousands of automobiles on the roads across the nation and if safety was not considered, thousand would be injured or even killed daily! Automobile safety has come a long way over the years and as every day goes by more and more new ways are created to keep drivers, and their passengers, safe on the road. Thesis Since the automobile was first created, more and more safety precautions have been taken to make an automobile ride as safe as possible. I will provide information on how to keep you and your car up to date with some precautions to ensure safety on the road. Preview. We will begin with examples and tips on how to choose the safest automobile on the road, then we will look at precautions automobile companies are taking to keep you safe, and finally we will see some issues that are still to be taken care of as the automobile industry soars. Point 1 There are many different automobile companies providing buyers with many styles of cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles. Toronto Star January 14, 2005 present ways to approach the automotive buying process. There are many different surveys, crash reports, and rating systems comparing different companies and their vehicles. Things you should look for when reading these published articles are who conducted the study? Who paid for it? Who gains from it? Who loses? These are all things to keep eye on as some automotive companies will run their own surveys making their products seem overpowering against the competition. Some prove their products are safer then the competition where the competition has been proven time and time again to make that survey seem inaccurate. The consumer is the biggest target for these falsifying surveys. The act of choosing the right size, shape, and color all have their own place in the process, but choosing the make of the automotive is the real hurdle some people get stuck on. Country Living November 2005 presents to the consumer what new options are available on GM automobiles and trucks. They state that, â€Å"Only GM is committed to offering a full range of cars, trucks, and SUVs that offer GM continuous safety protection before, during, and thanks to On-Star technology, after vehicle collisions. † This is a prime example of how vehicle manufacturers sell their product to the consumer before the consumer steps foot into a dealership. The consumer, relying on this ad, will step foot, in this case, in a GM dealership and then decide what vehicle to chose depending on the models they offer. The consumer has now disregarded all other vehicle manufacturers just by relying on an ad. Almost all vehicle manufacturers have their own way of selling to consumers before consumers even see the line of vehicles they offer. Catchy slogans and ads are things all manufacturers use to gain their consumers attention. Transition from 1 to 2 Now that we saw what vehicle manufacturers are doing to get your attention, lets look at the statistics on which manufacturer actually provides you with the safety that they claim. Point 2 Newswire US February 9, 2006 states valuable information about automotive safety. Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis of active and passive safety systems in the US and consumer’s desirability and willingness to pay for such systems recognized Volvo as the recipient of the 2005 U. S. Consumer Choice of the Year Award for Brand Offering the Best Overall Automotive Safety. This particular survey was conducted using over 1,000 U. S. consumers. What this survey tells the consumer is valuable in making a decision. By stating that Volvo has received this award doesn’t mean other manufacturer’s vehicles are unsafe. This survey only states that you get the safety you pay for with Volvo vehicles and also that Volvo customers are satisfied with their vehicles. One of the things that helped Volvo achieve this award is that they provide standard three-point safety belts, which is one of the industries most cost effective vehicular safety features. Volvo was also one of the first brands to adopt padded dashboards, ergonomic seats, disk brakes, crumple zones, split steering columns, integrated child booster cushions, and side airbags. Recent additions to Volvos signature safety features are whiplash protection seating systems, rollover protection system, roll stability control, and their intelligent vehicle architecture. Volvo has been around for over 75 years and they been amazing their customers with better and stylish vehicles every time they renew or introduce a new model. Transition from 2 to 3 Now that we seen how advertisement and research studies on safety can help the consumer make their decision, let us look at some issues vehicle manufacturers have and what precautions can be taken to avoid danger on the road. Point 3 Tires. No matter what vehicle manufacturer you chose, there is always the fear of getting a flat tire or even having a tire explode while the vehicle is in motion. Tire manufacturers design all kinds of tires such as Run-Flats, which are basically thicker tires with insulation that allow the vehicle to be driven even though the tire is flat. Just like vehicle manufacturers, there are many different tire manufacturers. This is where the safety issue comes in. Tires can reach high temperatures while in motion. As the tire is turning even a small nail can cause it to explode. Keep in mind that the tire has air in it. The faster the tire rotates the more pressure it has being exerted outward from the center of the rim. To think a little hair pin or paperclip can have no affect on a tire as it is still, this is not the case as the tires are under higher pressure and are prone to damage or explode when any sharp or pointy object is present to the tire. Fleet Owner February 1st, 2006 present an article to the consumer about Automatic tire inflation systems. Some newer vehicles, such as the Cadillac Escalade, offer this new mechanism. There is an automatic pressure gauge in each tire. When the tire is deflated past the minimum psi needed for the tire to operate properly, an on-board air compressor is triggered to bring the pressure inside the tire to proper level. This new mechanism can help reduce tire damage due to driving with deflated tires, which also results in the tire exploding, but you must still be cautious yourself as there might be many objects on the road that can still cause damage to any tire. Restated Thesis Now you have better knowledge on Vehicle and road safety. Summary We began looking at what consumers should look for in a vehicle when purchasing it in regards to safety and advertising flaws. Then we moved on to the statistics that proved Volvo to be the safest automobile manufacturer of 2005. And finally we were informed about conditions that automotive manufacturers have no control over by using the tire pressure and road conditions as examples. Conclusion Safety is the number on thing automobile manufacturers have in mind no matter what type of vehicle they design. Different manufacturers have different safety standards, but there is one overall manufacturer that is awarded with the safest line of cars award. In 2005 it was Volvo. The Volvo automotive group has succeeded in meeting their safety goals. But at the same time there are other conditions that still lie between point A and point B. As safe as your car can be, always take caution when driving no matter where u may be. Keep your eyes on the road and be safe everyone. Works Cited – â€Å"Vehicle safety has come a long way over the years,† The Toronto Star, 14 January 2006, Pg G06. – â€Å"Road to progress paved with potholes,† USA Today, 15 November 2005, Pg 3B. – â€Å"Volvo Cars receives Frost & Sullivan’s U. S. Consumer Choice Award; Volvo Brand Named Best Overall Automotive Safety,† PR Newswire US, 9 February 2006. – â€Å"More complex cars and more stricter rules lead to more recalls,† The New York Times, 26 October, 2005, Pg. 32. – â€Å"Road transport: Safety remains a major problem,: European Report, 18 February, 2006, Pg. 323. – â€Å"What’s new in: Tire Inflation,: Fleet Owner, 1 February, 2006 – â€Å"Going the extra mile: your guide to continuous automotive safety,† Country Living, November 2005, Pg. 96A.