How has car safety improved over the years?

How have car manufacturers improved their safety features over the years?


Safety features improved from the first car made, to cars now in 2009?





links would be helpful, please %26amp; thank you|||The first cars had mechanical linkages to brakes, they now have hydraulics and ABS to help stopping. The brakes have changed from the old drums to discs. Split hydraulic systems were brought in in the 1960s, so that if one set goes you still have some braking capability.





Steering has improved with new types of linkages, some of the really old cars had chains to the wheels, like on a boat.





Some old cars only had leaf springs and no shock absorbers, now there are many different types of suspension.





From the 1970s, collapsible steering columns came in, now replaced with airbags.


Progressive crumpling of all panels now provides better occupant safety.


Now you can get Electronic Stability control, to help you get out of trouble in an emergency.





American cars are recognised world wide as being very poor for safety, only marginally better than Chinese, the worlds worst. The best are definitely European, (Mercedes, Volvo, Saab, Audi) followed by Japan, Toyota, Subaru, Honda) and Australia, (Ford, Holden, Toyota).|||Early steering wheels were wood, and would splinter and spear the driver in a crash. Until the 1960s, dashboards were unpadded steel. Head injuries from dashboards were common.





Steel-belted tires are a lot less likely to have catastrophic blowouts than older tires.





Rear view mirrors were invented by an Indianapolis 500 race driver in 1911.





Modern safety glass doesn't shatter into killer shards like regular glass used to.





Historically, US manufacturers have resisted the cost of safety improvements.Thanks to advertising crash test scores, there is a lot less difference from car to car than there used to be. Almost all cars get 4 or 5 stars.|||"redhzkingswood" has it -- plus, people like Ralph Nader have pushed (and are still pushing) for U.S. automotive safety.





Seat belts, anti-lock brakes, child-safety seats, air bags, suspension-control, dual-system hydraulics, etc, etc, etc.... Cars and trucks are safer today, and will be even more safe in the future, because of the efforts of people such as Ralph Nader. Career politicians and their Big Business cash-cows have always fought against Nader's work................|||airbags, antilock brakes, more airbags, i.e. curtain and side airbags. gps systems. onstar or similar systems where someone calls help when your airbags deploy.