Here Are The Underappreciated Safety Features You Can't Live Without

Hyundai packs value into their vehicles. Even the most basic trims of their models have more and more safety tech come standard. One safety feature I've come to love is the rear cross-traffic alert in my Sonata. This should be standard on every car, especially big SUVs or crossovers. I was on the fence about it when I first got the car and thought it might be a useless annoying gimmick. But it works and works well, even at detecting people. It really comes into its own when backing out from in-between two big-ass vehicles, or something like an alleyway.

We asked readers what underappreciated safety features they can't live without. These were their answers.

Back up camera. I'm honestly glad these things are mandated now, because holy shit are they life-changing.

Now, before some of you start your "blah blah blah lazy drivers, my *insert vintage POS here* doesn't even have mirrors, and I turned out OK" rants, I still use all my mirrors when driving, parking, etc. But having that low, wide-angle, mid-bumper or tailgate view is amazing for parallel parking like a champ, or avoiding running over the neighbor's cat that likes to sleep in your driveway, or seeing the pre-schooler that broke away from mom's grasp in the Target parking lot. They add ease and safety to the driving experience, unlike other so-called driving aids.

Suggested by: debeach84

Automatic braking. It has saved me at least two times. Once I looked left for a second and the truck in front of me just happened to slammed on brake for a pedestrian, which I could not see. My outback halted for me. It would have for sure been a fender bender if not for the automatic braking.

Suggested by: Shaoxuan Lǐ (Facebook)

Time to step into parent corner and talk about LATCH. Back in the day, child seats would simply loop the lower lap restraint through a little slide area, and that's how you kept a baby safe.

In retrospect, holy crap we actually did that? Wow. We were idiots.

I suppose it's better than what my parents did, which was (I'm not making this up) securing the baby in a glorified basketball hoop with more hooked metal edges than a Saw sequel.

Child safety has come a long way, and the simplicity of the LATCH system is wonderful. The best part is that installing or removing a child seat is super easy, because it just snaps in. Modern child seats are pretty easy to figure out, and child mortality in car accidents from 2002 to 2011 decreased by 43% as LATCH was implemented across the auto industry.

Along with rear curtain airbags and other safety improvements, our modern cars are amazingly good at keeping our demon spawn safe from a world of terrible drivers.

Suggested by: Shane Morris

Heads up display for speed. Never have to look off the road.

Suggested by: @CWirostek

I think most people really don't appreciate the safety basics: Seatbelts, air bags, crash structures, and skilled & attentive driving.

Suggested by: Goose

For most drivers, I think stability control is a great thing. 90% of drivers don't even know it's there, and there it is, very quietly preventing accidents.

Suggested by: Michael Marshall (Facebook)

I'm gonna go with actual knobs, switches and dials to control HVAC and Stereo adjustments. I didn't realize these were a safety feature until the idiot automakers started replacing them with touchscreens.

Suggested by: Wolfpack86

911 Assist (that's what Ford calls it). It'll basically alert emergency services to your location. Even if you can't answer. It's free on every Ford/Lincoln car and truck equipped with the SYNC bluetooth system.

Suggested by: Harley Beers (Facebook)

Tire Pressure Monitoring. Because of how often I had flats and had to change my tires when I was younger mostly due to working in retail/food service where the parking lots are full of broken glass and what not, I'm real paranoid about my tires. I have a hand drill sized compressor in my car that I pull over and use whenever that TPM light comes on. It's come in handy on a few long trips and keeps down unnecessary wear. I've had my current car for 13 years and haven't changed a tire myself on it once, which I know is mostly due to me no longer working in places with public parking. It's still a good piece of mind especially on long road trips.

Suggested by: Doctorwhotb

Three Point Seatbelts. Anything less is so terrifying I won't get into a car with anything less. Let alone no seat belt. Nothing feels like, "you're going through the windshield mate" than no seatbelt.

Suggested by: If It's Not a Wagon, it's crap.