Looking for Safety Among Used Cars in Woodbridge, Va

    You climb into the car of your dreams and see a beautifully lit dash like a starry night with all of the bells and whistles and an interior that embraces you with both edginess and coziness. You are swept up by the moment of road trip possibilities and cruises with windows down in the summer…then your father points out that the seat belts don’t work correctly. Who cares? Is it really that big of a deal? So the belts don’t lock up under high impact; big deal, right? Actually, it can be a very big deal in the event of an accident. Safety can be a very boring aspect of car shopping, but it can save a life down the road. We have compiled some features that should be checked over when purchasing used cars in Woodbridge, Va as well as some of the safest vehicles we have on our Buy Here Pay Here lot at Airport Auto Sales.

Seat Belts: When looking at a potential vehicle, a test drive can be the best way to see if all of the car’s features work. If you are alone, make sure to take a quick look at all of the seat belts to ensure they all lock and have stoppage ability. Anyone who has laughed too hard and leaned forward too fast in a car has probably experienced the sensation of the belt sightly choking you until you relax back into the seat. This stopping mechanism actually ensures that in an impact you are placed in the safest position in the seat. If this mechanism does not work you could be pushed towards the dash or windshield.

Head Restraints: Head rests are designed to prevent neck injuries as your head in an impact will get whiplashed violently forward and backwards. Make sure that the vehicle has all of its headrests.

Brakes and ABS: Preferably, the vehicle will have an Anti-lock Brake System that will keep the vehicle’s wheels from locking up in a panic situation. However, ABS is typically only on models 2012 and newer. Regardless of having ABS, make sure that the brakes are in good standing order. Ask when the brakes were last replaced or inspected. Our vehicles on our Buy Here Pay Here lot at Airport Auto Sales are inspected before sale to ensure safety. An inspection will also ensure all exterior lights are in good working order.

Many of our safest vehicles on our Buy Here Pay Here lot are on the newer side. Since safety features are constantly being upgraded, purchasing the newest model you can afford will be the safest option. For this reason, our list starts with the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, the 2011 and 2012 Honda Civic, and the 2011 and 2012 Honda Accord. These vehicles ranked the highest on our lot for overall safety and affordability. Older models of these vehicles are still rated higher than their competitors but the newer models will always be safer. Ideally when looking at used cars in Woodbridge, Va you want a vehicle that scores “good” or better with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Typically, the bigger the vehicle the safer it will be. However; there are larger models including trucks that do not score well with the NHTSA so a quick web search of your potential purchase is the best way to ensure you are making a safe purchase.