Every year, approximately 12,000 people die on the roads of the Philippines, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Many accidents can be prevented by adhering to the rules of the road and ensuring that your vehicle is completely roadworthy. A car fitted with active safety technologies can also help to reduce your risk of being in a potentially-fatal road vehicle accident.
Thankfully, more and more cars are fitted with safety features that help protect, not only drivers, but pedestrians, cyclists and other road users as well.
Pedestrian detection alerts keep all road users safe
According to data from the WHO, at least 50% of all road deaths in the country include the most vulnerable road users, including pedestrians. Pedestrian Detection (PD) systems are designed to alert the driver of obstacles such as pedestrians and cyclists in their way. Once a pedestrian is detected, the PD system will issue an audio and visual warning to alert the driver accordingly.
PD systems typically make use of a radar or laser sensor to detect the obstacles. Some systems may even feature an emergency braking system, which is triggered once an obstacle is detected. The additional braking power may not always prevent an accident from occurring, but it may, at least, reduce its severity.
Lane departure alerts can prevent accidents
Far too many lives are lost on the roads of the Philippines every year. Many serious road accidents that result in fatalities are caused by lane diversions. Lane Departure Alerts (LDA), which are found in an increasing number of newer model vehicles, were designed to track your vehicle’s position in a lane through the use of a camera near the rear-view mirror. When you veer out of your lane, you can cause a serious collision that may be fatal to you or to other road users. This may result in anything from a hefty fine to jail time. Chances are, you will also encounter one or more wrongful death lawyers, who are tasked with seeking financial compensation for their clients who lost a loved one as a result of a car accident. Driving a vehicle fitted with lane departure alerts can reduce the risk of an accident considerably, as the system will alert you of any movement to leave your lane unintentionally.
Adaptive headlights improve visibility
Improving road safety during night-time and inclement weather is a constant battle. Traditional fixed headlights that are only capable of illuminating what is directly in front of you are not ideal under any circumstances, let alone when the road is wet or visibility is particularly poor.
Headlights that automatically adapt to various degrees of visibility can reduce the risk of road accidents considerably. These headlights automatically pivot towards the direction you are driving and are particularly useful for improving visibility around curves. Although Germany was the first country to introduce adaptive headlight in their vehicles, many manufacturers around the world, including Toyota, Chrysler and Mazda soon followed suit.
Far too many lives are lost in road accidents every year. By adhering to the rules of the road and opting for vehicles that sport the latest safety technology, road accidents risks can be reduced considerably.
