With modern cars becoming more and more advanced, both in terms of looks and features, safety is something that you should definitely consider when buying a new car. There are certain safety features in cars that are mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the federal government. If you are looking to buy a new car, you must check if the following features are present:

1. Airbags
Ever since 1995 NHTSA has mandated that all cars (with exceptions to low volume vehicles) must have two airbags in the front. The airbags provide protection to both the driver and the passenger in the event of a collision. More specifically, the airbags cushion the impact and reduce the damage to either the passenger or the driver or both. The airbags are smart enough as they can sense immense speeds (sometimes clocking 200 mph).

2. Passive restraint systems
A passive restraint system operates automatically without any human intervention and prevents you from getting thrown out of your seat in the event of a car crash. These mostly come in the form of motorized seat belts and have been mandated by the federal government ever since 1989. This means that all the car models made in the beginning of1989 or 1990 must have motorized seat belts.

3. Electronic stability control
The government has quite recently mandated electronic stability control (ESC) as one of the essential safety features in cars. ESC is available in the car models manufactured on or after 2012. Electronic stability control makes a car more stable, especially in situations when the wheels become bald and start skidding. While the cars before 2012 had ESC as an optional feature, it is now a mandatory feature that all modern cars must possess.

4. Tire-pressure monitor
You can expect to find a tire-pressure monitor in all the cars manufactured on or after 2007. A tire pressure monitoring system or TPMS alerts you when your tires are under or over-inflated. It does this by blinking warning light on your dashboard. If you find that light is steady, you should get the pressure of your tires checked.

5. Inside-trunk handle
One of the most important safety features in cars mandated by the federal government is an Inside-trunk handle, which is available in all cars manufactured in 2002 or later. An inside-trunk handle prevents you from getting locked in the trunk of the car whether you are stuck mistakenly or due to the criminal actions of others.

The above features mandated by the NHTSA under the federal government could fulfill many of the security needs that you expect from your car. While these features should be an essential part of what you expect, as caution you should opt for more safety features in cars such as side airbags, rearview cameras, anti-lock brakes, and many others. You can always take the help of the sales representative and check which safety features you would be able to get in your desired price range.