A person riding a vehicle that is 8 to 11 years old has 18% more life danger due to accidents than the person riding a relatively new car. And according to the national highway traffic safety administration, this percentage rises to 71 percent when the car is more than 18 years old. Hence, it can be said that there are high risks of accidents for people who use old cars and it is not safe.
It should be noted that no car is itself risky to drive but the condition it is in has a huge role in determining the risk factor. For example, a 1996 model Corolla if well maintained can be safer than a new model of it that is not maintained. This is because the basic structure of 1996 model vehicles was made according to the “then applicable” safety standards. Then the question is why is it still risky to drive an old car.
Why is it risky to drive old cars?
Old cars were manufactured according to the old safety requirements and so met the requirements of old times efficiently. As time passed the traffic increased and so increased the requirements. The manufacturers updated the different systems to meet new requirements and the older systems become invalid. Now if you use older cars they will not match the new and advanced technologies and so will cause trouble for you. The speed tracking machines and advanced traffic monitoring systems do not apply to older cars so old versions of vehicles are riskier.
Things to take care of in an old car
If you are driving an old car then without changing some important things you can not feel safe. You need to change or update some features to make it compatible with the newer versions. So following is an account of some vital things that need to be changed or updated.
Seat belts
If your car is so old that it never had any seat belts then you should instantly install new ones as it is one of the necessities of car safety. If your car has it’s pair of seat belts then check if they are useful enough or not.
Brakes
Driving cars is more about stopping than about running. Breaks are the most useful ammunition to prevent accidents. Applying breaks can save you from accidents most of the time as breaks are a matter of life and death of a driver. In the 1970s disc brake system was used and 10 years later technology shifted to the anti-lock system. So you need to know which system are you using and you should switch to the newer technologies right away.
Back view camera
One new and useful addition to the cars is back view cameras that mostly older cars don’t have. It helps prevent accidents while reversing cars and so is important for drivers. You can install new cameras for clear back views and prevent accidents due to car reversing easily.
Steering
The new models of steering have been introduced according to the needs of the time. The models used recently are easy to handle and turn and so add value to the driving experience. So you should go for better quality steering.
Wrap up:
Old cars have more risk factors than the new ones as the up-gradation of systems is missing. Now the drivers have only 2 options, either to get a new car or upgrade the older parts of cars. These are the only way to make driving old cars safer.
