Is there an Antilock Braking System (ABS)?
And, more important, does your teen know how to use it? Antilock brakes, introduced in the late 1980s and currently in about 83 percent of cars, are not meant to be stabbed numerous times in a row or pumped. Doing so defeats the purpose of ABS. A vibrating feeling underfoot and loud “chattering” noise actually means the ABS is working properly. The real benefit of ABS is that it allows the driver to maintain steering control in an emergency. It’s a good idea to take your teen to a safe place, drive 15 to 20 mph with seatbelts properly fastened and slam on the brakes to get a feel for what ABS feels and sounds like. 3. The more airbags, the better. It’s standard on new models to have driver and passenger airbags. But protection is dramatically increased with the addition of side torso and head curtain bags. More recently, dual-stage and smart airbags have become available. Dual-stage airbags offer two levels of inflation depending on crash severity—full pressure for hard impacts, less f
