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It’s National Child Passenger Safety Week, and knowing which car safety features can keep your precious cargo safe is essential. Most, if not all, new cars in the market have many of the latest and greatest safety aids to keep people and their stuff safe in the event of a crash. Many of these features are put into place to prevent a crash as well. Check out these four safety features designed to keep you and your children safe while traveling.

What are the best safety features in a car?

A small rear-facing camera installed on the back of a car, just above the license plate, providing a wide-angle view of the area behind the vehicle. This camera assists the driver in parking and reversing by displaying the live video feed on the car's infotainment screen, enhancing safety and convenience.
A backup camera on a car | via Getty Images

It’s safe to say that every active and passive safety feature in any new is “the best” because they have an important role. That said, some features are used more than others. For National Child Safety Week, the editors at TrueCar wanted to point out the top four safety features that can be found in nearly every new car.

  • Backup camera: Every new car comes with a backup camera, which allows the driver to see people and obstacles behind them when driving in reverse.
  • Blind spot monitoring: This feature assists drivers in detecting vehicles in the blind spots of the car when driving or merging.
  • Adaptive cruise control: This feature adjusts the car’s speed and distance from the car ahead of it when cruising on the freeway or streets.
  • Lane keep assist: The lane keep assist feature warns drivers when the vehicle moves out of the lane.

There are plenty of other features like parking sensors, road departure mitigation, and traffic sign recognition that will keep you and your children safe while driving. These four features were voted as the most popular according to consumer searches on TrueCar.

Five of the safest SUVs you can buy in 2023

This Honda HR-V SUV is one of the best small SUVs
The 2023 Honda HR-V EX-L | Honda

If you’re currently driving an older car without any of the latest safety features, it may be time for an upgrade. Check out these five SUVs, which all earned top honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

  • Honda HR-V: The Honda HR-V is a small crossover capable of fitting five passengers and all their stuff. An all-wheel drive configuration is available, and the Honda Sensing suite of safety features is standard across all trim levels.
  • Nissan Pathfinder: The Pathfinder is a midsize SUV that can seat up to eight passengers, tow up to 6,000 pounds, and is filled with the most current safety features via the Safety Shield 360 suite.
  • Subaru Ascent: The Subaru Ascent can fit up to eight passengers and comes standard with the brand’s Symmetrical AWD system. Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technologies are also standard.
  • Toyota Highlander: The Toyota Highlander has grown in size over the years and now offers seating for up to eight passengers. It’s also equipped with Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5 + suite of safety features.

These safety features are intended to aid in the prevention of accidents

The rear parking sensors on the 2023 Nissan Versa
2023 Nissan Versa | Joe Santos, MotorBiscuit

As a parent, it’s important to know which safety features can keep you and your family safe in an accident. Technically, they are also made to aid in preventing an accident, but it’s worth noting that they are not meant to be relied upon.

For example, some of the features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist can keep the car at a steady pace and in between the lines while driving on the freeway, but they are not meant to drive the car for you.

Remember to stay aware of your surroundings when driving and know that these safety features can keep your family safe.

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Senior Writer

Joe Santos

Joe Santos has been an automotive journalist since 2013 and joined MotorBiscuit in 2020. He writes strongly on consumer advice and new cars, and we consider him an asset to readers looking for guidance in buying and selling autos.

Joe earned a Bachelor’s in Journalism from California State University, Fullerton, and spent years as a Road Test Editor at Kelley Blue Book, after which he served in various automotive-related roles, including an autonomous vehicle trainer for GM, a vehicle sales manager, and an Audi brand specialist.

Joe’s prized possession is a 2008 Honda S2000 in Laguna Blue Pearl, with which he attends local car meets. Joe is also a content creator for LTD Global, a B2B support firm.