Automotive Safety Quiz

During its long development, the automobile has evolved a plethora of capabilities and features designed to keep you from wrecking. In the event of an inevitable crash, it's also loaded with an array of engineering marvels that can lessen the severity of an impact and keep you and your passengers from getting seriously hurt. Now it’s time to put the rubber to the road and see just how much you really know about car safety.

What is the main purpose of electronic steering control or ESC?

To park the car automatically

To provide autopilot control

To reduce skidding

To provide an emergency ESCape

You chose: You chose:

We're not kidding -- uncontrolled skidding can send your car flying into a ditch. ESC detects skidding and automatically applies braking to individual wheels to straighten out your car safely.

Which safety system detects the size and weight of individual passengers and adapts accordingly?

Height-sensitive mirrors

Girth-sensitive seat belts

Occupant-sensitive airbags

Backseat drivers

You chose: You chose:

Overpowered airbag deployments have seriously injured people. But occupant-sensitive airbags detect the size of the seated person and adjust to prevent them from hurting the person they're supposed to save.

If you tend to swerve inadvertently all over the road, you may want to invest in a car that has what system built in?

Autopilot

Lane departure warning system

Automatic police notification

First responder alert

You chose: You chose:

Whoa, wake up there, buddy! Lane departure warning systems are a new technology that warns drowsy or inattentive drivers that they aren't keeping their vehicles in the correct lane.

What new technology can greatly reduce an inevitable crash's severity?

Automatic emergency braking system

Seat belts

Large portable cushions

Object avoidance system

You chose: You chose:

You didn't see the car in front of you, but the radar in your automatic emergency braking system did -- and your car slammed on the brakes, saving lives.

What speed-related safety tech is common in Europe but nonexistent in North America?

Electronic guardrails

Speed alert systems

The Autobahn

Automatic speed reduction system

You chose: You chose:

Consider it lead-foot prevention. Speed alert systems let you know when your vehicle is exceeding the speed limit for specific areas.

What new technology falls into the category of collision avoidance assistance?

Adaptive cruise control

Doppler radar

Photon torpedoes

Emergency autopilot

You chose: You chose:

It does use radar. Called adaptive cruise control, it keeps tabs on vehicles in front of you and maintains a preset distance by adjusting your car's speed automatically.

The United States government says that this technology saved about 26,000 lives between 1987 and 2008. Can you guess which one it is?

Seat belts

Antilock brakes

Airbags

Parachutes

You chose: You chose:

You'll never look at balloons the same way again. Airbags are credited with saving many thousands of lives.

In a broadside collision, which technology can shield your pelvis, neck, chest and head?

Front airbags

Side airbags

Rear airbags

Seat belts

You chose: You chose:

They came later in the airbag revolution than front airbags, but side airbags are really important, protecting you from your head through your torso.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, what percentage of child car seats are used improperly?

18 percent

25 percent

40 percent

75 percent

You chose: You chose:

Educate yourself before you strap a child into a car. About 75 percent of parents are doing it the wrong way, putting their children at risk of injury in the event of an accident.

What part of your car is actually designed to collapse in an accident?

Collision zones

Crumple zones

Bumper zones

Wreck safety zones

You chose: You chose:

Crumple zones absorb impact and protect passengers. They're engineered specifically to buckle and disperse the energy of a collision.

Correct

Roadkill alert!

Let's be glad you didn't design your car's safety features.

Correct

From a safety perspective, your knowledge is hardly reassuring. Better buckle up mentally and do some more research.

Correct

You definitely know how important it is to use your seat belt and keep your eyes on the road. And you probably don't do dumb things like texting and driving.

Correct

King of the road! Not only do you know that your car has a lot of advanced safety features, you probably know how to use them properly, too.

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