The developments of technology continue to advance the performance, efficiency and safety of vehicles available today. These advancements of car safety technology enable to save more lives. This article will compare the safety features of a 2011 Hyundai Getz S TB and a 2009 Holden Astra CD. Both cars are in a similar price range but which car is better when it comes to safety. The safety features that are to be reviewed include; seat belts, air bags, anti- locking break system (ABS), crumple zones and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution(EBD) of both cars. Finally, a recommendation will be made as to which of the two cars has better safety features based on the information and comparison done in this article.
Airbags are safety devices installed …show more content…
Seat belts control the energy load the passenger can withstand on impact. Seatbelts initially stretch, while securing the passenger during the collision. When the seatbelt stretches the time taken for the passenger to halt increases, which in turn would reduce the force that is applied on the occupant. The seat belt then retracts, the pretension thereby maximises the protective functions of the seat belt by retracting the seat belt and restraining the occupant. The load limiter of the seat belt then absorbs most of the load and reduces the impact on the passenger even though the load limiter absorbs most of the energy but some energy will be applied on the passenger. The seatbelt spreads across the strongest area of the human body which is the thorax and waist. The seatbelt distributes the force on the thorax, this impact is known as stopping force, as this occurs the passenger will move forward due to inertia and back again due to the stopping force. Seatbelts can withstand three tons; this is the weight of three compact cars. Recent crash statistics in Australia show an estimated 40 unbelted heavy vehicle drivers lose their life in Australia every year, seat belts would have prevented or reduced the injuries suffered by truck drivers in at least 60 per cent of the crashes studied, if heavy vehicle seat belt wearing rates matched the rate achieved by car drivers, it would reduce unbelted truck driver deaths by about half[4]. Both the Hyundai Getz S TB and the Holden Astra CD have five seatbelts each as both cars carry five passengers. (Diagram 1 represents the number of casualties prevented by seatbelts during
Airbags are safety devices installed …show more content…
Seat belts control the energy load the passenger can withstand on impact. Seatbelts initially stretch, while securing the passenger during the collision. When the seatbelt stretches the time taken for the passenger to halt increases, which in turn would reduce the force that is applied on the occupant. The seat belt then retracts, the pretension thereby maximises the protective functions of the seat belt by retracting the seat belt and restraining the occupant. The load limiter of the seat belt then absorbs most of the load and reduces the impact on the passenger even though the load limiter absorbs most of the energy but some energy will be applied on the passenger. The seatbelt spreads across the strongest area of the human body which is the thorax and waist. The seatbelt distributes the force on the thorax, this impact is known as stopping force, as this occurs the passenger will move forward due to inertia and back again due to the stopping force. Seatbelts can withstand three tons; this is the weight of three compact cars. Recent crash statistics in Australia show an estimated 40 unbelted heavy vehicle drivers lose their life in Australia every year, seat belts would have prevented or reduced the injuries suffered by truck drivers in at least 60 per cent of the crashes studied, if heavy vehicle seat belt wearing rates matched the rate achieved by car drivers, it would reduce unbelted truck driver deaths by about half[4]. Both the Hyundai Getz S TB and the Holden Astra CD have five seatbelts each as both cars carry five passengers. (Diagram 1 represents the number of casualties prevented by seatbelts during