When buying an SUV, it’s very important to check what safety features the car has to offer. If you’re planning on going off-roading or on frequent vacation trips with your family, safety is extremely important. Many brands have developed advanced safety features that will help you avoid accidents. Here are some safety features you can look for when you buy your next SUV.

1. Adaptive cruise control (ACC)
Taking a cue from the vehicle ahead of you, this system can automatically regulate the speed of your car. It’s extremely helpful when you’re driving through a long highway, and it helps you cruise through the heaviest traffic. Thanks to the sensors and radars, the ACC system can also sense a potential collision, and automatically apply heavy brakes and tighten your seatbelt.

2. Anti-lock brakes, anti-skid systems, and roll stability control
These safety features are something you should definitely look for. The anti-lock brake system (ABS) allows you to steer your car even when it automatically applies heavy brakes to avoid a collision. It also helps you stop quicker on pavements that are slippery.
The anti-skid system detects when you lose control over the brakes. It then activates the ABS system to keep your SUV on the road.
Roll stability control can detect a rollover and then immediately activate the anti-skid system to keep your car safe.

3. Blind spot detection
This is one of the most important features you need to look for when it comes to safety. As SUVs are large, it’s very easy to lose sight of another vehicle in your blind spot. This can be very dangerous if you decide to take a turn or shift lanes. The blind-spot detection feature senses if there’s a car in your blind spot and alerts you by either a small blinking light on your mirror or may sound a chime. This removes the need for you to keep watching your back when you try to maneuver through heavy traffic or shift lanes on high-speed highways.

4. Lane departure warning and lane keep
Both these safety features work to keep you in your lane. The “lane departure warning” feature warns you by sounding a chime, buzzing your seat, or the steering wheel when you unintentionally start crossing over your lane.
The “lane keep” feature, on the other hand, will detect you drifting away from your lane and gently steer you back to your lane.

5. Safety exit assist
This feature is especially good for parents of young children. The safety exit assist senses approaching vehicles or bicycles and temporarily activates the electronic child safety lock to disallow you or your child getting out of the rear passenger seat. It will sound an alarm to warn you of the approaching vehicle. Once the vehicle passes, the electronic child safety lock can be deactivated.

6. Four-wheel independent suspension
This feature allows each wheel of your vehicle to react to bumps independent of the other wheel. With solid axles, both the tires react when either of the tires hit a bump. With four-wheel independent suspension, however, at least one tire will stay on the road. This may possibly avoid an accident when you come across bumpy corners at a high speed.