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Featured Article: How Airbags Work
Statistics show that airbags reduce the risk of dying in a head-on crash by 30 percent. Learn the science behind the airbag, what its problems are and where the research is heading. See more »
car safety & regulatory devices library
In the Safety & Regulatory Devices section you’ll find tools and technology intended to keep drivers and passengers safe, from car seats and airbags to red-light camera technology.
Articles 1-20 of 25
Can a car really be death-proof?
Accidents happen. But what if your car came with a guarantee that you'd never die while driving or riding in it? It sounds far-fetched, but one company is promising such a car by 2020.
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Quiz Corner: Car Safety Quiz
Thousands of people are involved in car crashes each day. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risks involved with riding in automobiles. Find out if you're a car-safety whiz or a crash test dummy in this quiz.
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Car Seats: Fast Facts
Car seats: Get fast facts on car seat safety and easy-to-read explanations on harnesses the LATCH system and what to look for when buying car seats.
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Have crash tests ever used live (or dead) human occupants?
A lot of engineering goes into crash test dummies. But as advanced as crash test dummies are, they can't tell researchers everything that happens in a crash. That's where human crash test dummies come in.
See more »How Airbags Work
Statistics show that airbags reduce the risk of dying in a head-on crash by 30 percent. Learn the science behind the airbag, what its problems are and where the research is heading.
See more »
How Child Car Seats Work
Seatbelts save lives -- adult lives. For a seatbelt to do its job it must fit correctly, and on a small child a seatbelt is simply the wrong size. In this article, we'll examine the technology at work and find out how to choose the best child seat.
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How Crumple Zones Work
Did you know that parts of your car are built with special structures designed to be damaged, crumpled, crushed and broken? These components redistribute the force of an impact before it reaches the vehicle's passengers.
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How Occupant Classification Systems Work
Airbags have saved more than 27,000 lives since 1990, yet they still have detractors because of their danger to children. Occupant Classification Systems detect exactly who -- or what -- is sitting in your passenger seat.
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How Odometers Work
Mechanical odometers have been counting the miles for centuries. Although they are a dying breed, they are incredibly cool inside. Learn how this simple device tracks distance and find out about digital odometers.
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How Red-light Cameras Work
The light turns red. You're alone at the intersection. There's not another car in sight. Do you run it? Read this before you answer.
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How Seatbelts Work
Seatbelts save thousands of lives each year. How can a piece of fabric end up being the difference between life and death? What does a seatbelt actually do? Learn how seatbelts react in a crash.
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How Speedometers Work
Speedometers have been around since the early 1900s when cars began to grow in popularity and (literally) outpace the horse-drawn carriage.
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How Traffic Tickets Work
Traffic tickets are the bane of some motorists, but they exist to enforce driving laws and to encourage safe driving. Learn about traffic tickets including what's on a ticket what happens during a traffic stop and how to fight a ticket.
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What if I never changed the oil in my car?
The oil in a car is a necessity and can leave your car lubricated and running smooth. But what happens if you never change it? And how long can you really go?
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What is positive force chassis control?
Computerized stability systems for your car won't magically steer you clear of an out-of-control vehicle, but they can keep an eye on road conditions and vehicle performance.
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Why is it still necessary to crash test vehicles?
There's always going to be some risk involved with automobile travel. Crash testing helps remove some of that risk. However, given the availability of modern computer modeling, is it still necessary to destroy actual vehicles?
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Why would someone want to steal my airbag?
They are crucial to personal safety and very expensive to replace. Should it be a surprise that airbags have replaced car stereos as the most popular target for auto thieves?
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Will your next car wake you up when you fall asleep at the wheel?
Strong coffee? That's the old-fashioned way to stay awake behind the wheel. Future generations of cars will be equipped with high-tech features to rouse sleepy drivers.
See more »How do the automobile ignition keys with chips embedded in them work?
A friend of mine just bought a new car and it has a neat security feature. The ignition key has what looks like a microchip embedded in it. The owners manual says that without this chip the engine either will not start or will start and then die immediately. How does this microchip on the key prevent the engine from starting?
See more »How does a laser speed gun work to measure a cars speed?
How does a laser speed gun work to measure a car's speed? How is it different from a radar gun?
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