MyCarDoesWhat.org Educates Drivers about New Vehicle Safety Technologies

National Safety Council and University of Iowa Campaign Helps Drivers Learn about Life-Saving Safety Technologies

ITASCA, IL and IOWA CITY, IA -- July 7, 2015: The National Safety Council and the University of Iowa today launched a new website, MyCarDoesWhat.org, to help educate consumers about new automotive safety technologies and how they work. MyCarDoesWhat.org includes educational videos and other information about a variety of safety technologies including back-up cameras, blind spot monitoring systems, forward collision alerting and other systems that help drivers avoid or reduce the severity of a crash. The goal of the website is to teach drivers how to most effectively use these safety technologies, leading to safer driving.

"The fact is that safety technologies save lives, yet many drivers don't know what they are or how to use them," said Deborah Hersman, president and chief executive officer of the National Safety Council. "Knowledge is power. MyCarDoesWhat.org puts motorists in the driver's seat to make our roads safer."

The number of new safety technologies included in vehicles is growing daily, yet there is little information available to consumers about these technologies.

"These technologies increase safety and assist drivers by preventing or lessening the severity of crashes," said Daniel McGehee, director, Transportation and Vehicle Safety Research Program at the University of Iowa Public Policy Center. "MyCarDoesWhat is designed to raise awareness of the technologies and how they can be used to keep us all safer on the roads."

Some of the safety technologies featured on MyCarDoesWhat.org include:

Back-up Camera: provides a view of the blind zone directly behind the car when the vehicle is in reverse.

Blind Spot Monitor: alerts drivers when there may be something located in their blind spot.

Forward Collision Warning: warns drivers when they are closing in on the vehicle ahead too quickly.

Anti-lock Braking Systems: prevents wheels from locking up, helps avoid uncontrolled skidding and provides some steering control in slippery conditions like snow.

Rear Cross Traffic Alert: provides an alert to the driver that traffic is approaching from the left or right when the vehicle is in reverse.

Adaptive Cruise Control: maintains the speed set by the driver and a pre-set following distance.

Automatic Emergency Braking Systems: automatically applies moderate to hard braking when the system detects that a collision is imminent.

Lane Departure Warning: alerts drivers when they drift into another lane when the turn signal is not activated.

The website is part of a larger national education campaign set to launch in the fall. The data-driven campaign includes academic and consumer research, videos, graphics, animation, social media, a game, an app, and advertising to educate drivers.

For more information on automotive safety technologies go to MyCarDoesWhat.org. Follow MyCarDoesWhat on Twitter and Facebook.