Curl up with a good book, says SMMT

The Motor Industry trade body SMMT is urging motorists to spend a few minutes learning about their car's safety systems by reading the owners' manual. SMMT believes more accidents could be prevented if all owners were fully familiar with the safety features installed in their cars.

"Every death and serious injury on our roads is a tragedy and of course manufacturers have a central role to play in improving the safety of products," said SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan.

"But equally, owners need to understand how the advanced safety systems of modern vehicles work in order to get maximum benefit - and to minimise any risk of their misuse.

"The owners' manual should not be something that sits in the glove box from purchase till sale. Our message is simple - get it out and have a good read."

From 1 July 2004 all new production cars must be fitted with ABS as standard. Understanding how Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) work could mean more drivers' lives are saved by this important safety feature.

"The fact is that most drivers never experience ABS except in a real emergency," Christopher Macgowan added. "A pulsing pedal and unfamiliar noise could tempt some to release pressure on the brakes.

A quick glance in the handbook, however, explains exactly how ABS works and reminds drivers to keep the pressure on while steering safely round a hazard."

Front, side and head airbags increasingly feature on new vehicles and are helping limit the effects of an impact on occupants. However, while airbags offer real safety benefits, owners' handbooks warn against placing objects on or adjacent to these systems as these can become dangerous projectiles in an accident.

According to Thatcham research more than 200,000 people suffer whiplash each year with 2,000 cases resulting in some form of permanent disability. Most could be prevented if drivers and their passengers took a few seconds to make a minor adjustment to their head restraints, advice that is clearly set out in handbooks.