Bob ciasulli : Valuable Tips on Buying a Safer Car for Your Children

Myself Bob Ciasulli and I owns numerous car dealerships in northern New Jersey. Keeping your children’s safety in mind when purchasing a new car can be troublesome as there are so many factors to consider, but buying a new car is an excellent chance for you to take advantage of many great safety features vehicles have to offer, especially when it comes to protecting your children. Hopefully I can shed some light on the matter as to what factors are especially important to keep in mind when shopping around for a new car. Be sure to consider the following vehicle safety features along with crash test and rollover rating results before making your final decision.

Here are some very key questions to consider (concerning child safety) when buying a new car:

• What features does this vehicle have that will help me avoid a crash? For example, ESC (Electronic Stability Control). ESC helps drivers maintain (and sometimes regain) control of their vehicles in dangerous conditions such as snow, rain, and slippery roads. It can also help drivers avoid accidents during extreme steering maneuvers and plays a part in helping drivers escape from situations where their cars are spinning out or plowing out of control.


• How well would this vehicle protect me in a crash? Does it have side air bags? Is the center part of the car well protected? With your kids in mind, this would be a serious safety feature to consider. These two technologies offer great protection for passengers and can save lives. (Of the two million crashes a year that result in injury, the majority are either frontal or side crashes). Side air bags (SAB) protect the head and the chest during side impact crashes.


• How likely is the vehicle to roll over when involved in a crash with another vehicle? More then 10,000 people become injured each year in rollover crashes. This is especially true for passengers who are not wearing their seat belts. By choosing to wear your seat belt, you can reduce your chance of injury by approximately 75%.


• Does the car or van have any advanced safety features that could offer my children or myself any additional protection? Take care and remember to never place a rear facing infant seat in front of an air bag, even if it says “reduced-power” or “advanced”. Children 12 years of age and younger must be in the back seat of your car or van and properly seat belted in. Be aware of the child safety laws in your state, or you may receive a fine. Children must be placed in child safety seats that are appropriate for their size, weight, and age. In the state of New Jersey, children seven years and younger and less than 80 pounds must be in the rear seat.

Remember, a heavier vehicle will usually protect you better in a crash, particularly in the case of two-vehicle crashes.

Bio: Bob Ciasulli owns and operates numerous car dealerships in northern New Jersey and Bob Ciasulli is very interested in automotive maintenance and vehicle safety. His tips on buying a safer car for your children are based on his own observations and government statistics.