A report from IHS Automotive states that the average vehicle age in the U.S. is now 11.5 years, a record high. IHS Automotive points to two causes for the increased age. Firstly, as vehicles have had better quality and reliability, drivers have been holding on to their cars and trucks longer. Secondly, drivers have been holding on to their vehicles longer as a lingering impact of the recession.
Experts say there is no rule on how long to keep a car or truck. However, Consumer Reports does not recommend drivers keeping cars which lack two safety features: electronic stability control, which helps to improve a vehicle’s stability when skidding, and side curtain air bags, which are designed to offer protection to the head during side impact collisions.
One impact of the longer average vehicle age is that new features in vehicles will take longer to be fully integrated. This is especially important when considering safety features which are widely available but not yet common in vehicles on the road. For example, adaptive cruise control was introduced in 2006 but is currently in only six percent of cars.
If you have been injured in a truck or car accident, the attorneys at Lambert Zainey are here to help. Contact us today to discuss your legal options.