We consider the fuel economy and discounts we might get while buying a new car. But did you consider safety features when you bought your last carIJ
This is a weird slow season in the automotive industry, although you will not get that feeling if you walk into a car showroom right now. The festive season this year coincides perfectly with the month of October, and a whole bunch of cars launched in the past few months - the Audi A4, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Innova Crysta, Mercedes-Benz GlC and many more are awaiting bumper sales. There will be a few more launches in betweenDusshera and Diwali, chief among them will be the new Jaguar F-Pace, the leaping cat’s first foray into the world of SUV’s as well as the new Volvo S90, the Swedish company’s assault on the likes of the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series.
Yet, when you bought your last car did you really consider safety or the safety features of the car at the top of your mindIJ When you buy any major luxury brand you expect the car to have all sorts of safety features from airbags to body stabilisation and what notIJ But do you know how Anti-lock Brakes workIJ Most likely no unless you are an auto-geek like me, you know the guys who meet up at a Diwali cards party and just talk about the latest cars.
Those of you with children, how many of you have child seats for your kidsIJ Or do you let your kids sit on the front seat, or even on your lapIJ Do you even realise that god forbid, the airbag went off your child your break his or her neckIJ Are you like those two sets of unfortunate parents who gave in to their child’s demands and let them poke their heads out of the sunroofIJ We know how tragically both those cases ended.
This is the festive season and you might be buying a car. Yet, do you know how safe your car isIJ Are you aware that some cars have failed structural integrity tests during head-on collisions conducted by the Global NCAPIJ I’m sure some of you have googled about the fuel economy of your car and the discounts that you might get, but ask yourself is saving money today more important than saving your life tomorrowIJ
At least the tests shamed some manufacturers into installing airbags as standard fitment and those manufacturers deserve our praise. But there are other global manufacturers who get away saying that their cars ‘adhere to Indian standards’. Ask yourself whether your life, your family’s life and your child’s life are so cheap that you do not give a damn about safety on the roadIJ Over 150,000 Indians died last year in road accidents. Think about that for a second, that is a multiple of the number of people who have died during the ongoing Syrian Civil war and we know how horrific that conflict is. A million plus people have died over the past decade, some could be your friends or even your family.
So, when you do buy a car next, ask about its safety features. Because fuel economy won’t save your life in an accident. Shubho Bijoya!shan