Car Safety Tips

Our car safety image gallery shows you car safety features, crash testing, and other technology intended to keep drivers and passengers safe. And some features you may not have heard about. ANDY SACKS/GETTY IMAGES Crash test dummies are used to gather information about the damage that can result from the extreme forces exerted on a body during a violent impact. What is the purpose of a crash test? PETER GINTER/GETTY IMAGES Crash tests are used to find safety issues and test solutions to make cars safer and reduce injuries and deaths from car accidents. Find out what the deadliest risk facing SUVs is next. BILL PUGLIANO/GETTY IMAGES Because of a higher center of gravity, SUVs are more prone to rollover accidents than typical sedans. What piece of fabric saves thousands of lives each year? SABAH ARAR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Seatbelts save approximately 13,000 lives in the United States each year. What are all cars required to have on both the driver and passenger side? Find out next. MICHAEL TULLBERG/GETTY IMAGES Statistics show that airbags reduce the risk of dying in a direct frontal crash by about 30 percent. Next up, a safety system that can help prevent fender benders. KOICHI KAMOSHIDA/GETTY IMAGES The distance control assist system maintains the distance between the driver's car and the car running in front. Check out the latest safety system that will prevent drivers from sleeping at the wheel next. YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES A facial recognition system monitors the driver's eyes for signs of drowsiness. The next safety feature can prevent drivers from backing up into people and objects. KEN SHIMIZU/AFP/GETTY IMAGES A rear-view camera helps drivers fight blind spots. What feature are new cars equipped with to enhance visibility? PHOTO COURTESY ED GRABIANOWSKI Some new vehicles come equipped with directionally adaptive bi-xenon headlights and daytime running lights. See what police use to catch speeders next. A laser speed gun measures the round-trip time for light to reach a car and reflect back. What do some cities set up to enforce the speed limit? PASCAL LE SEGRETAIN/GETTY IMAGES Cars pass by a speed camera that uses radar to detect a vehicle's speed. What are many people guilty of doing while driving? Find out next. JUSTIN LUBIN/WARNER BROS./GETTY IMAGES Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year. See how police determine if someone is under the influence next. JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES A police officer conducts a field sobriety test at a DUI traffic checkpoint. On average, a person is injured in an alcohol-related car accident every 30 seconds. Learn more about How DUI works.