We use cookies and other technologies to understand and improve your browsing experience. By using our site, you agree to us collecting this information and to our Privacy Charter.
From brakes and airbags to lights and tyres, understand the important safety features on new and used cars
Your reference number is
We'll contact you within 72 hours and may ask for this reference number.
Thinking of buying a new or used car? Understand car safety features and ANCAP safety ratings before you buy.
ANCAP tests new cars to understand how they perform in a crash and assess how well the vehicle protects occupants.
We’ve also broken down key safety features below to help you make an informed decision.
AEB uses radar, laser or camera sensors to detect potential crashes and apply the brakes to prevent or reduce the severity of a crash. Some systems also prepare the vehicle for a crash, such as the pre-tensioning of seatbelts.
AEB is very effective in situations where there is poor visibility, a driver is distracted or has limited time to react to things like sudden braking of a car in front or a child running out after a ball.
How AEB works in different scenarios:
Watch TAC’s video: How can Auto Emergency Braking reduce crashes?
Lane departure systems help reduce crashes by alerting drowsy or distracted drivers that their vehicle has moved out of its lane.
They use audible and visible warnings for drivers to take corrective action. Some systems automatically redirect the car back into its driving lane.
Cross-traffic Assist systems help the driver in situations where they can’t see other cars going across their path when reversing.
They use an audible tone and visual warning when a car is detected. Some systems activate if the driver doesn’t react to avoid a crash.
Reversing cameras and sensors can greatly improve a driver’s reversing visibility. You should also check the rear-view mirror and look over your shoulder before reversing to get a better view of your surroundings.
RACV has developed a Reversing Visibility Index to calculate visibility when reversing and compare vehicles. The index gives a rating from 0 to 5, considering:
Airbag safety is continually evolving. In addition to the curtain and frontal airbags, there are now knee, seatbelt and even under-bonnet airbags designed to protect pedestrians.
Follow these tips for airbag safety:
As the vehicle hits an object, sensors detect the change in speed and send a signal to the car’s brain – the ECU. If the change in speed is above a certain threshold, the ECU decides it’s time for airbags.
If the crash is serious, the ECU ignites the inflator – a stack of explosive wafers that rapidly emits gas – to deploy the airbag.
By the time the force of the collision reaches the occupants, the airbags are ideally fully inflated and ready to cushion the impact. Inflation takes between 20-30 milliseconds on the driver side and 30-40 milliseconds on the passenger side. For comparison, the blink of an eye takes between 100-400 milliseconds.
Curtain airbags are designed to help protect occupants in side-impact collisions.
ANCAP's pole test results found curtain airbags are a pre-requisite for a realistic chance of survival, even at the relatively slow speed of 29km/h.
Airbags deploy with explosive force – sometimes causing skin abrasions and minor injuries. They don’t deploy if the impact of the accident is minor as this could cause injury.
How long do airbags last
If the vehicle is kept in reasonable condition, the electronics and airbag should last for the life of the vehicle. However experts do not agree on the lifespan of inflators.
If the airbag warning light comes on and stays on, take your car to a licensed mechanic to be checked
When a driver brakes hard and suddenly, ABS prevents the wheels of the car from locking up.
Car steering is only effective while the wheels are turning, so by preventing the wheels from locking, the driver maintains steering control while applying maximum braking force.
ABS is most beneficial in wet conditions or slippery surfaces where wheel locking is more likely to happen.
ESC helps drivers maintain control of their cars by intervening when the car starts to travel to a different course than intended by the driver. This usually happens when a driver tries to turn very hard, swerve or turns on a slippery road. In these situations, a car without ESC might skid or spin out of control.
ESC uses the same technology as ABS with additional sensors to measure steering wheel position and vehicle rotation. It can automatically apply the brakes to an individual wheel and in some cases, will reduce the engine power. Some ESC systems will intervene sooner than others.
Traction control prevents wheelspin under acceleration which helps maintain steering when accelerating.
EBD helps balance braking forces between front and rear. This helps minimise braking distance and keep stability under light-axle loads.
EBA detects when emergency braking is required in ‘panic stop’ situations by automatically increasing brake pressure. This stops the vehicle sooner than if the driver were braking unassisted. It’s useful for people with less strength in their lower limbs.
Using your lights correctly makes driving easier and increases visibility to make roads safer.
If your lights are not aligned properly, this can reduce visibility, dazzle other drivers and make your car unroadworthy.
To maintain your lights, you should:
Visibility and lights at night
Most car interior mirrors have day/night positions. The night setting reduces the reflected glare from the lights of following vehicles. If dazzled by another vehicle, avoid looking directly at its lights. Slow down, stay to the left and focus on the edge of the road.
Respect other drivers. Take care when using high-beam headlights or driving lights. Remember, they can dazzle oncoming traffic and the driver of a vehicle in front of you through the mirrors.
Visibility and lights during the day
Daytime running lights (DLRs) increase your vehicle’s visibility to other road users during the day to reduce the risk of collision. They are different to driving or fog lights, which are more likely to cause glare or annoyance.
If your car doesn’t have DRLs, using your headlights on low beam can make your car more visible during the day.
Wet conditions, dirty or damaged windscreens, and worn wipers can reduce visibility and increase the effects of glare.
If confronted by glare, try not to look directly at the approaching car's lights. Slow down and stay to the left of the road.
Some glare can’t be avoided. For example, as a car crosses speed humps the headlight beam naturally rises and falls. Bumpy roads, or heavy trailer loads can also affect the angle at which your lights point. Some headlights can be adjusted electrically to compensate.
Glare affects some people more than others and it gets worse as we age. A 50-year-old driver can take twice as long to recover from dazzling lights than a 20-year-old.
Fog lights help improve the visibility of the road during fog. It’s illegal to use front fog lights during normal weather conditions.
Driving lights supplement high-beam lights by providing more light, particularly in country areas. The light output is intense and projects well down the road. These lights must be wired to switch off when low beam is selected.
Fog lights have a different light pattern to driving lights. Fog lights have a low, flat, fan-shaped beam used to illuminate the road below the mist line.
Head restraints help prevent injury, particularly whiplash, when a vehicle is struck from behind.
Most head restraints are adjustable to some degree, and some adjust automatically. Make sure you adjust the head restraint so it’s above eye level. If you share driving duties check the restraint adjustment every time you get in the car.
Unfortunately, head restraints are not always comfortable. We’ve road-tested a number of cars where the head restraint isn’t very comfortable. Some manufacturers have approached this problem by designing them to deploy into a better head-protecting position in a crash but otherwise have a more comfortable shape.
Poor posture or using seats incorrectly can put drivers and passengers at risk in a collision.
Drivers who sit too close to the steering wheel increase the chances of a more severe injury by not giving an airbag enough room to properly deploy and their seatbelt enough time to absorb forward motion.
If a passenger has their feet on the dashboard and a crash occurs that deploys a passenger airbag, it inflates at high speeds. This would drive your legs back in toward your face or out away from your hips and knees – dramatically increasing the severity of any injury.
Driving every day causes natural wear and tear. Over time, repeated heating and cooling of a tyre by force affects the structure of the rubber and how it springs back into shape. Tyres become harder, which affects their grip on the road and makes them more prone to punctures. As the rubber is worn away, tread also reduces, which compromises wet-weather performance.
Next time you refuel your car, check your tyres for wear or damage. All tyres have inbuilt indicators to show when they are worn too far.
Check your tyre pressure at least once a month. This can be done at a service station or with your own gauge (available from auto spares shops).
In an under-inflated tyre, the middle section bows up, leaving only the edges touching the road. This concentrates more heat and wear in these areas. Inflating to slightly higher pressures can help improve grip, response, economy and life.
All car makers recommend the ideal tyre pressure for each model. These are listed on a little placard usually found inside the driver’s door jamb or the fuel filler cap.
Since most modern cars are front-wheel drive you may notice that your front tyres wear quicker than the rear. This is because the front axle on a front-wheel-drive does the majority of the dynamic work of the vehicle’s chassis, including:
All these forces are delivered through the tyre to the road surface.
A temporary use tyre (TUT) is a temporary replacement tyre for your car.
A common type of TUT is the space-saver tyre which has a reduced size and brightly painted rim. Other types of TUTs come deflated and folded up into the boot to save more space.
Space saver tyres are not as efficient with emergency braking, swerving and cornering. You should only drive using a TUT for the minimum distance required to repair or replace the damaged full-size wheel. Generally an 80 km/h speed limit is recommended.
When buying a new vehicle:
RACV tests conducted on TUTs found they can affect safety features. Common space savers:
Roadworthy requirements
Driving on a TUT is acceptable under Victorian roadworthy regulations provided it’s used within the specifications provided by the vehicle manufacturer in the vehicle's handbook. However, two TUTs can’t be fitted to any one vehicle and the vehicle can’t be presented at a roadworthy inspection with a TUT fitted.
Insurance claims
Insurance claims involving TUTs are treated like any other insurance claim. The contributing factors are determined individually for each case. While TUTs don’t automatically exclude claims for approval, the insurer may determine whether the tyre was used within the specifications (e.g. speed requirements, fitment to a specific axle) of the vehicle manufacturer when assessing the claim.
Tinted windows are designed to help reduce glare from the sun and heat being transmitted into the vehicle. They also provide extra privacy for the driver and passengers.
Tinted windows can reduce driver vision, particularly at twilight and night-time. Loss of potential eye contact between drivers of window-tinted vehicles and other road users represents a safety risk.
Night driving and older drivers
Unlike wearing sunglasses, drivers can’t remove tinting when night driving. Studies have found driving at night with tinted windows has disproportionate risk, compared to daytime driving.
Window tinting reduces threshold contrast. The natural degradation of older drivers' vision can also have the same effect. The combination of these two effects could present a greater risk of collision for older drivers.
Daytime effects of tinted windows
While tinting reduces daytime glare in sunny conditions, drivers can achieve the same result by wearing sunglasses. Non-tinted window glass also cuts out most harmful UV rays.
All vehicles manufactured after July 1971 must meet design and safety standards:
These standards are enforced as part of your Roadworthy Certificate by VicRoads.
If you plan to get windows on your vehicle tinted, you must check that light transmittance does not fall below roadworthy limits. Keep in mind that car windows already have a degree of ‘tinting’. Adding additional tint may make the vehicle unroadworthy - even if the brand says their tint transmits enough light.
Service centres, including RACV auto care centres, can check this with a light meter.
Figure out which car is right for your needs with our tools to search and compare features, expert reviews and inspections from qualified mechanics.
R.A.C.V. Finance Limited ABN 82 004 292 291 Australian Credit Licence No. 391488. RACV Finance is subject to RACV lending criteria. Conditions, fees and charges apply.