Buying a car can put a huge dent in your wallet. In addition to the cost of buying the car, you constantly have to pay for maintenance and insurance costs throughout the life of the car. Everyone is always looking for ways to save on car ownership costs. Luckily, there are all sorts of features available for cars that can help you score discounts from insurance companies. Some of them are as follows:

1. Air Bags

Airbags reduce the impact felt by the driver and passengers during a car crash and therefore reduce the severity of the injuries sustained. Frontal airbags have been a requirement in all passenger vehicles for almost two decades. Side airbags are also included as the standard equipment required to meet federal side-protection requirements for almost all cars. Some cars feature rear-window curtain airbags or inflatable safety belts for extra protection.

In general, car insurance discounts increase as the number of airbags increases. For instance, Geico offers up to 40 percent off for full front-seat airbags and up to 25 percent off for driver-side airbags. This applies to personal injury protection and medical payments coverage.

2. Electronic Stability Control System

Electronic stability control is a system designed to help prevent cars from skidding out of control or rolling over when the driver has to steer hard or turn on a slippery road. The technology uses sensors and computers to monitor the response of the vehicle to steering then applies brakes automatically to keep the vehicle under the driver’s control. Insurance companies usually offer a discount of about 15 percent which applies to collision coverage.

3. Adaptive Cruise Control

This system monitors traffic conditions while making adjustments to your car’s speed based on the speed and distance of the vehicle in front of you. The system controls the throttle and braking to maintain your car at a safe distance from the car ahead such that in the event of an accident happening ahead you have time to stop or take action to avoid it.

4. Safety Technology

Most insurance companies offer discounts for safety and anti-theft technology such as car alarms, dash cams, tracking devices, steering wheel locks, among others. These features reduce the probability of your car getting stolen and make it easier to find it in the event that it gets stolen or lost.

5. Daytime Running Lights

These are car headlights that turn on automatically when you start your car. They come in handy in preventing daytime head-on collisions and front-corner collisions since drivers can see each other better. Daytime running lights are currently a standard safety feature in most modern cars.

6. Anti-lock Braking System

ABS uses speed and wheel sensors to determine if any wheels are trying to lock up when you apply the brakes. The system prevents the wheels from locking up which helps avoid any uncontrolled skidding when you are braking. This allows the wheels to maintain tractive contact with the surface of the road which helps bring the vehicle under control.

7. Blind-spot warning

A radar or cameras are used to monitor your blind spot in this system. If a car moves into your blind spot, the system alerts you through a dashboard icon that lights up or an audible sound if you attempt to change lanes. Most insurance companies are yet to offer discounts for cars with blind spot warning systems.

8. Self Parking

Some modern vehicles offer self parking systems that will park your car perfectly even in the tightest parallel parking spaces. All you have to do is pull up next to the spot, shift the vehicle into reverse and watch the magic happen. Other advanced models come with a remote which you can use to control the car while on the outside. Insurance companies are yet to offer discounts on this amazing feature.

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