Considering buying a new car, truck or SUV for winter weather? Kelley Blue Book says these are some of the best safety features for driving in snow and winter weather. If your new car or sport utility vehicle doesn’t have one of the following features, you can probably add it.
Top Snow Driving Safety Features Include Adaptive Headlights
Kelley’s Blue Book It has everything buyers might want to look for in a new car. Gone are the days of home kits in the trunk (hopefully) to bail you out. Since 2013, government agencies have required various car features such as traction control, stability control, and anti-lock brakes.
You definitely want to make sure your new vehicle has anti-lock brakes and stability control. It was required in 2013, but it wasn’t always included before then. Most higher trim level vehicles could have it before then.
One of the best snow and winter weather safety features is adaptive headlights. These headlights can shift or swivel in whichever direction the wheel turns, giving you a better view of oncoming traffic or roadways. Some headlights have cornering lights on the side that help illuminate the road in the direction you’re going. Automatic high beams make life easier on a difficult journey. A sensor detects the lights of oncoming vehicles and turns off the high beams when necessary.
Blind spot monitoring is one of the best safety features for driving in the snow
Blind spot monitoring is one of the best safety features for driving in the snow. This system helps detect vehicles and other things that might be in your blind spots. It can help you avoid moving into a busy lane or if someone is already moving into that lane.
Kelley Blue Book says that one of the easiest ways to lose control in the snow is to make sudden steering adjustments to avoid a nearby vehicle. Hopefully blind spot monitoring will help prevent that.
The automatic temperature control is a creature comfort, but it’s worth checking out. You can set this once, which will keep your cabin comfortable throughout your trip. Forward Collision Warning and Emergency Braking use cameras and sensors to detect hazards on the road. Such systems help bring the vehicle to a stop if the driver is unable to do so.
Don’t forget about heated mirrors and seats.
Heat it all up! These days, car manufacturers have all kinds of technology to heat mirrors, seats, windshields, and wipers. In most situations, you can add some type of cold weather or winter package that will add all of these heaters to your vehicle. These will not only help remove snow from your car, but will also help keep it off while you drive.
Don’t forget the remote start! Start your car and warm up the cabin for a minute or two before getting in. Consumer Reports says that warming up your car before you get in won’t help you on the highway, but it will keep you comfortable.
Lastly, don’t overlook your tires. Make sure your tires are in good condition and that you have snow tires if you’re facing a full winter season in the snow. Your vehicle may not have these tires when you buy it, so make sure you have the correct ones before you drive.