Your car stereo is able to do so much more than just play AM radio like it was originally intended to do. Satellite Radio, Navigation and voice control are among some of my favorite features. However, the most important features are the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
If your car does not come equipped with any of these, do not worry Sonic Electronix has the aftermarket parts you need so you don’t have to rely on just eyesight and hearing. Some of these features include a backup camera, a dash cam, parking sensors, lane departure warning systems (LDWS) among others. With so many resources enhancing driver safety, your car just went up in value because of all those car accidents you just avoided by reading this blog.
- An important statistic I found on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) website is that in 2015, there were 35,092 deaths related to car accidents. The scary part is that 94% of these accidents were due to human error. These aftermarket parts can save your life; the sooner you invest the better.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
In order to ensure your drive to work, school, dinner, or anywhere else is as safe as possible, your vehicle needs to be fitted with these safety features. They’re affordable and practical making for a discreet and simple install. The majority of these products are plug and play. I’d recommend studying this blog to find what ADAS components are missing from your car. Once you have determined this, invest and this could honestly save your life!
A Back-Up Camera, also known as a rear view video system, is an integral part of driver safety. The location of the camera enhances visibility while you are in reverse. Most importantly small children become significantly more visible.
When you put your car in reverse the camera turns on and you can clearly see what stands behind you. Please note that this does not substitute the use of mirrors and physically turning your head to check your blind spots. Rather this is just an added safety feature.
By May 2018 this technology will comes standard on all new vehicles. For those of you with a car lacking this technology and are hesitant, note how simple and easy the install is to add such an important safety feature.
By definition a blind spot is a region in which your view is obstructed. This means you have to shift your body and attention from the road to check your sides. This half a second maneuver can be very dangerous and potentially life threatening. Not to mention all cars have blind spots so it would be foolish to neglect a Blind Spot Detection System.
Blind Spot Detection is a huge advantage for any driver. This system gives you an audible and visual warning not to change lanes. Even if you look over your shoulder to check your blind spot, there is no guarantee a car is not making the same lane change two lanes over. Actually there is; utilizing one of our many Blind Spot Detection Assist Systems, will notify you of such an occurrence.
There are infinite benefits to having a dash cam. In the near future I predict Insurance companies will offer some sort of discount for those who use a Dash Cam because of how reliable these devices are. In fact some foreign countries like the United Kingdom offer an insurance discount for drivers that have a Dash Cam. A Dash Cam will record every second while on the road. In fact a Dash Cam is more reliable than human testimony. Listed are some major benefits:
- Get out of a ticket – Although it is unlikely a Police Officer writes you a ticket for a violation you did not commit, a Dash Cam can help prove your innocence. More likely what happened is that the two of you perceived the circumstance differently. Luckily your Dash Cam caught the entire instance on camera giving you evidence to dispute the charge.
- Record an accident – We all get in car accidents. Some are our fault and others are not. With a Dash Cam you will have every accident recorded no matter how minor they are.
- Fight insurance fraud – If a car is at fault for hitting you and denies it, your Dash Cam will provide all the evidence you need to hold them accountable.
- Teenager begins to drive – Some drivers might try to take advantage of a new driver if an accident occurs. But not anymore, if your teenage daughter/son is involved in an accident and blamed, simply refer to the Dash Cam to get the real story.
- Capture unexpected events – You might not be the one involved in an accident, but someone you share the road with might be. Your Dash Cam will capture other people’s accidents and help prove their innocence.
An overlooked feature that comes standard in modern vehicles are Parking Sensors. Your hood and boot are not visible when parking. Why guess how close you are to hitting something that you cannot see when you could just have your car tell you? No matter what you drive, parking is an integral part of driving. If you are not concerned with your car’s body, I guarantee whoever you hit will be concerned with their car’s damage.
This feature is inexpensive and makes for an easy install. No holes are needed to be drilled and the average range of these units is about 6 feet. Without having to pay a lot, you get a second set of eyes to help you park.
A Lane Departure Warning System warns the driver if they drift into another lane. Ideal for the drive to work, road trips, or taking the kids to school; we all get distracted. What I like about this technology is that it actually uses the road markers to help you navigate in your lane. This reliable feature also informs you that another car is drifting into your lane. All in all we share the road to get safely to our destinations, so we must work together to avoid accidents. A Lane Departure Warning System is the perfect way to respect other people’s safety.
Human error is the biggest cause of car collision, luckily we have the technology to compensate for this short coming. Although this is not a guarantee, your safety while on the road will be greatly increased because you are utilizing a lane departure warning system.
This may not contribute to driver safety, but I have to say a Radar Detector is a great investment. We are not condoning speeding, this is never safe. Rather we are giving you the option of having this technology in your vehicle. The range can be anywhere from 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile depending on the unit you purchase and the terrain you are driving. Useful fact; if your windows are tinted, depending on the percentage and tint material, this can greatly reduce your radar detectors range. In Washington DC and Virginia this component is illegal so we do not ship this product to those regions.
