Image Source: Flickr If you’re learning to drive, or have recently passed your driving test, you may be starting to shop around for your first car, and it seems to make sense that new drivers should always look for the safest cars. Lacking the experience that comes with years of on-the-road practice, statistics show that young drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, and additional car safety features could help to reduce major injuries and fatalities on the road. Modern cars not only come with seat belts and airbags as standard, but also feature many more high tech safety features such as anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and side mirror cameras such as Honda’s ‘LaneWatch’. However, as a new driver, is it a good idea to buy a ‘safe car’, or is it a better decision to opt for a more basic vehicle?
Studies Show Increase in Risk
Although it may seem obvious that new drivers should opt for the safest vehicle within their budget, researchers believe that, in doing so, drivers could be increasing their risk on the road. Studies have found that car choice often correlates to driver behaviour and that ‘a greater number of safety features led independently to greater intended risk taking in general’. It can, therefore, be argued that young drivers are given a false confidence by the comprehensive support system provided by high tech safety features. There’s almost a sense of invincibility, perhaps more so amongst inexperienced drivers who are greatly influenced by their vehicle’s ability during their first few years on the road.
Superman Effect
This theory certainly isn’t new, and researchers have been proposing similar ideas for many years. Back in 1995, police examined statistics from 1993 which heavily indicated that drivers of cars with airbags tended to drive more aggressively than those without, and that the risks taken were likely to lead to accidents and injuries more severe than the airbag would protect against. However, it’s important to remember that safety features in cars have been excellent additions to the motoring world, with secondary safety features reducing serious injury and death by nearly 20 percent according to reports. New drivers who are influential on the roads are considered to be most at risk of the ‘superman’ effect of vehicle safety features.
Cause and Effect
Studies have also found correlations in other areas, particularly when looking at internal vehicle noise and driving patterns. According to reports, the greater the internal noise of the car, the closer drivers get to the vehicle in front. There is, of course, a cause and effect argument to be looked at here. Do risk takers opt for cars with greater safety features, or do safety features alter the behaviour of the driver? Does internal noise lead to bad habits, or do those with bad habits frequently choose noisy vehicles? Interestingly, this isn’t something that has yet been determined but what we do know is that safety features are present to reduce risk in emergency circumstances, and not as preventative measures or backing for drivers who actively take risks on the road.
