Tips on How to Buy a Functional and Safe Family Car
By: Amy Chan
Submitted: 2009-12-02 23:04:57 | Word Count: 533
Do you think you will be needing a new family car because of a new addition to the family? Here are some tips that might help you choose the right car that not only has style but is also functional and safe.
Due to the recent global recession, there is no better time to buy a family car than now. Car dealers are having a hard time selling as many cars and they re literally begging for your business. With so many cars on the market, it can be quite overwhelming as you re now looking not for your dream car, but something that can conveniently take you and your family from point A to point B.
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Before you even get to the car showroom, get your research done first. Look at various car dealer websites and take a note of the different models and prices available see if any one of them are having a car sale.
The next thing you will want to do is decide how many car seats you will need. You will want more seats than currently required if you have any intention on expanding the family over the next few years, otherwise you ll need to shop for a new car again really soon. Another reason for needing more seats is that toddler booster car seats are quite bulky and you would only be able to fit three boosters in the back seat if the car is particularly wide.
Forget buying two door cars as well. You will definitely need a four door to be able to get your baby in and out of the back seat easily. Some newer cars have taken this into consideration and have designed cars with 7 seats with lift up seats in the back. If you already have a couple of kids, you might want to consider buy a people mover instead just in case you need to fit take extra passengers along for the ride during those special occasions you just never know about these things.
Last but not least, what safety features does the car have? Does the car include front as well as side air bags? We now know that side impact car crashes are the most dangerous and cause the highest number of fatalities, so solidly built cars like Volvo with side air bags are generally the safest.
Is there a lap seatbelt present in the middle of the back seat? If so avoid this car as studies have shown that these types of seat belts do more harm than good. They are extremely dangerous and cause many abdominal injuries in a front on crash. Look for cars with 3 point seat belts on every seat.
Another great safety feature to have is the Electronic Stability Program (or ESP) that come with certain brands of cars. ESP has been shown to successfully reduce the risk of car crashes significantly. What ESP does is it has a computer onboard which applies safety procedures to the brakes and the steering if you were to lose control of the car. You will find car manufacturers such as BMW, Lexus, Volvo and Toyota have the ESP system but under their own patented names.
Author Resource:-
Amy Chan is an author and publisher for several online blogs and websites which focus on children's and women's health, shopping and nutrition. Check out her latest articles - http://www.electronickitchenscales.org
