People buy Volvo vehicles for all kinds of reasons, but safety is what the automaker is best known for. That’s a great trait because while every driver has a different budget and their own priorities when it comes to features, all of them can benefit from a car that minimizes the risk of both accidents and injuries.
Read on to find out about the top five reasons why Volvo vehicles are considered the pinnacle of safety.
A Long Track Record of High Safety Ratings
Most people looking for a Volvo Dealership Near Me to purchase a new car haven’t just made up their minds on their own. Drivers rely on respected institutions like the IIHS and NHTSA for information about each car’s safety standards, features, and performance.
Volvo has been ranking at the top of these lists since the 1970s when the US government used the Volvo 240 as a benchmark for safety standards. The automaker continues to receive Top Safety Pick+ awards in multiple classes today.
Innovative Safety Features
Just like Volvo has been performing at the top of its game when it comes to crash testing for decades, the company has also developed a well-deserved reputation for safety innovation. In 1959, it was Nils Bohlin, one of Volvo’s Safety Engineers, who designed the modern three-point seat belt, which has been estimated to save more lives than any other vehicle-related invention.
Volvo was also the first company to test rear-facing child car seats. The company also pioneered side-impact airbags, reinforced seats, and many of the structural improvements now considered essential for crash protection.
Modern Emphasis on Accident Prevention
Within the last few decades, automotive manufacturers have been able to shift their priorities from crash protection to accident prevention as a result of modern technology. Once again, Volvo is leading the pack. All of its vehicles have come standard with blind-spot protection since 2003, and the brand’s automatic braking system has been saving lives for almost as long.
Today, drivers can also expect lane-keeping pilot assist features that monitor the road and make adjustments as needed.
Safety For Everyone
When Bohlin invented the three-point seatbelt, Volvo didn’t use it as a means of getting ahead. Instead, the company released this revolutionary patent so that other automakers could use it to save lives. Dropping safety patents isn’t the only way that Volvo prioritizes safety for everyone, though. The company has also released over four decades worth of crash research, including:
- How the differences in male and female anatomy affect crash victims derived from the company’s pioneering use of female crash dummies.
The effect of changes made to seats and airbags following these studies.
Innovations in head protection features have reduced head injuries to not just drivers but also front and rear passengers by 70 percent.
Ambitious Safety Goals
The only way to create revolutionary change is to set ambitious goals, and that’s just what Volvo does. The company’s “Vision 2020” plan has kept its research team busy innovating and improving safety features like autonomous driving and AI-assisted technology with the goal of bringing Volvo’s fatality and severe injury rates down to zero.
Take a New Volvo for a Test Drive
Ready to start making safety a top priority? The best thing to do is to head to a local Volvo dealership to speak with a sales representative and take one out for a test drive.