Safety Before, During, and After for Chevy Vehicles

Anthony Fontanelle
May 15, 2007

Traffic safety has been one of the top priorities of car manufacturers in designing and producing their mass market vehicles. Nowadays, it is common to find a long list of safety features on vehicles. While the most recognizable car brand in terms of safety is Volvo, other car manufacturers have also provided their consumers with the latest in safe vehicle technology.

General Motors’ division Chevrolet is one of these companies which offer a long list of safety features. The company’s safety features are divided into three parts namely before, during and after an accident.

Safety before an accident is composed of features which allow drivers to have total control of a vehicle to avoid accidents at all costs. One of the Chevrolet’s safety before features is the ABS or the anti-lock braking system. This feature is commonly found on new vehicles and almost all of Chevrolet’s auto models. The ABS reduces the risk of a wheel lockup on hard braking. This ensures that the driver would not lose control of the vehicle. This also reduces braking distance by allowing drivers to brake heavily without risking wheel lockup.

Vehicles equipped with ABS are the Chevy Aveo, Cobalt, Corvette, Impala, Malibu/Malibu Maxx and the Monte Carlo for cars. For SUVs, the Equinox, HHR, Suburban, Tahoe, and the TrailBlazer are all equipped with this safety feature. Trucks equipped with this are the Avalanche, Colorado, and the Silverado. These trucks can be equipped with aftermarket Chevrolet pickup pedal covers to make the vehicles not only safe but also aesthetically sound.

The ABS feature is also used to complement another safety feature which is the Traction Control System. This system reduces wheel spin especially on slippery road surfaces. This feature uses the same sensors used by the ABS to determine the power that the engine needs to deliver to a particular wheel. This feature is available on the Colorado and the Silverado Classic trucks. For cars, the Cobalt, Corvette, Impala, Malibu/Malibu Maxx and the Monte Carlo are all equipped with this safety feature. For vans, the Chevy Uplander is also equipped with traction control.

Another safety feature that allows drivers to avoid accident is the StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System. This system uses electronics to help drivers take control of the vehicle. It automatically adjusts the vehicle’s power output to complement the steering input of the driver. The feature’s sensor gathers data from the steering wheel’s position and how the vehicle actually reacts to it. If the onboard computer sensed that the driver is under steering or oversteering, it will correct it automatically by activating the brakes or adjusting the engine torque. Chevrolet auto models equipped with this feature are the Corvette for cars; the Equinox, Suburban, Tahoe, and the TrailBlazer for SUVs; the Avalanche, Silverado and the Silverado HD for tucks; and the Express and the Uplander for vans.

Aside from this, all Chevrolet vehicles are also equipped with daytime running lights. This feature makes vehicles visible even through fog and rain. This feature reduces the risk of traffic accidents caused by the inability to detect the vehicle’s presence by another driver.

Safety during accidents for Chevy vehicle occupants is ensured by a variety of safety features which includes the safety cage. The design of the frame is aimed to protect the occupants from front, rear, and side collisions. The cage which is made of reinforced steel is complemented by crush zones. These are areas which absorb the energy of an impact therefore reducing the impact on the occupants of the vehicle. The safety cage is used in the construction of all Chevrolet vehicles. The protection of the occupants is also ensured by the safety belts that come with every Chevrolet vehicle. It has been proven that seat belts are the most effective safety technology in protecting motorists in cases of crashes. Seat belts are complemented by airbags which also comes with every Chevrolet auto model.

Chevrolet offers a complete menu of airbags for their vehicles. These airbag systems are: front air bags (standard), dual-stage frontal air bags, side-impact air bags and head-curtain side-impact air bags. These safety features give Chevrolet auto models five-star frontal crash test ratings. These vehicles given the highest safety ratings are: the Aveo 5, Impala, Malibu Sedan, Malibu Maxx, Monte Carlo, Equinox, HHR, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Avalanche, Colorado 4-Door, Silverado 1500, Express 1500, and the Uplander.

The safety of Chevrolet vehicle occupants is ensured by OnStar. With this GPS-based feature, an activated airbag can be detected. An Advisor will then call the vehicle, if the driver or passenger is able to answer the call, the Advisor will then request for emergency assistance to be respond. Aside from this, OnStar also features remote door unlocking and vehicle diagnostics.

Source:  Amazines.com