Antilock Brake System: How Effective it is in Reducing Vehicle Crashes

We remember quite well that the different car manufacturers introduced the antilock brake system (ABS) in the 1980s. Because of the numerous tests that proved its ability in helping drivers keep away from crashes that result from skidding on wet roads, the system was at once praised as a major safety feature. Of course, we know that today the antilock brake system is a standard apparatus on most new vehicles. In a lot of known instances, however, when the need for the antilock brakes is most crucial, as in during emergency stops, many drivers use them incorrectly.

The antilock brake system is designed in such a way that the antilock brakes are activated as soon as the system detects that one of the wheels is about to lock up. This automatic detection is usual as the driver applies steady and continuous pressure to the brake pedal. If your car is equipped with ABS, you ought to know that pumping the brakes when stopping suddenly is very dangerous - something that my nephew learned after being involved in a recent road mishap (fortunately, no one was injured in that accident).

When you pump the antilock brakes, the very technology you want to engage is instead deactivated. The antilock brake system works differently from the regular braking systems in that, when the driver slams on them, the antilock brakes will not lock up the wheels or cause the vehicle to skid out of control. The reason for this is that the ABS lessens brake pressure and pumps the brakes automatically until the wheels rotate correctly. As such, road grip is maximized, skidding is prevented, the driver is able to steer while braking, and a sudden stop becomes safely possible.

But the question as to whether or not the antilock brake system really reduces vehicle crashes persists. While the ABS continues to function very effectively on the test track, it has produced divergent results on the road. Studies conducted by the insurance industry concluded that the system does not significantly reduce crashes. On the other hand, studies made by the automobile industry revealed that the ABS lessened accidents on wet roads by as much as nineteen percent; car manufacturers are firm in their finding that antilock brakes prevented nonfatal crashes (albeit not fatal ones).

According to experts, some drivers are actually to be blamed for these inconsistencies. For example, while the ABS is engaged, a driver may hear grinding sounds and feel the vibration coming from the brake pedal; the driver then eases up and, in the process, unwittingly deactivates the system. In another instance, a driver may become too complacent or feel overconfident with his vehicle's ABS because he mistakenly believes that it can stop safely whenever he engages it.

On dry roads, the antilock brake system makes little difference; it will actually make stopping distances on soft snow or gravel longer. It is, however, proven to be effective in wet conditions if used correctly.

Experts further make it clear that the antilock brake system, inspite of its safety benefits, does not enable drivers to drive more aggressively or allow them to negotiate sharp turns faster. Neither does the ABS curtail the recommended distance a driver should maintain between his vehicle and the one in front of him. [Read the Original Article]

Seat Belts and the Three Collisions Involved in a Vehicular Crash

The wearing of seat belts while riding in a car is mandatory. It is a clear expression of being obedient to the rules and regulations of road use while giving due recognition and respect for the laws of physics. Seat belts were devised as helpful means of keeping people riding in a car (or any motor vehicle for that matter) from suffering injuries, especially head injuries, in a crash. It is believed that vehicular accidents lead all other single causes of deaths in people age thirty-five and below. Many of the vehicular accident-related deaths are due to the head injuries sustained in the collision. If people just observe the law regarding the wearing of seat belts, such injuries can be, at least in part, avoided.

In a head-on collision, the motor vehicle comes to an abrupt stop; however, its passengers continue moving forward at the vehicle's speed prior to the crash. If these passengers are not wearing seat belts, they will most certainly be thrust forward and will bang into the steering wheel, the dashboard, or the windshield, the latter being the front passenger's head's most likely target.

To emphasize the importance of wearing seat belts, it must be made clear that for a passenger, not one but three successive collisions are actually involved in a vehicular crash. The first collision is between the motor vehicle and a non-moving object, such as an electric post, a brick wall, a bridge pillar, or a tree; or it may be another moving vehicle. This first collision brings the vehicle to an abrupt stop. But the passengers' (including, of course, the driver's) forward motion continues at the vehicle's pre-crash speed until the second collision takes place.

The second collision is between the passengers and the different parts of the vehicle, particularly those three earlier mentioned here. In this second collision, the passenger's head is stopped, and the skull may be fractured in the process. The entire vehicular-crash episode is completed by the third collision involving the brain and the inside of the skull. Even after the head has stopped as a result of the second collision, the brain keeps moving.

Clearly, the second and third collisions are the ones that can cause death to the passengers. Therefore, such fatal blows have to be avoided; it is particularly important to prevent the head from coming in contact with any solid object. In the given scenario, the wearing of seat belts is the obvious safety measure to take in ensuring that the passengers are kept from sustaining head injuries. Seat belts, particularly the three-point shoulder-strap/lap-belt combination type, can physically bridle the people in a moving vehicle, thus preventing them from being jolted forward in case of an accident.

Of course, seat belts won't be able to keep the brain from moving against the skull. The slight give in the belting nevertheless can help slow the body before it comes to a full stop. Accordingly, the collision between the brain and the skull is significantly weakened, and the most important of all bodily organs is thus safeguarded. [Read the Original Article]