A back up camera can save lives, but a back up camera can’t always help when it comes to blind spots. Blind spots are those spots around and outside of a vehicle that can’t be seen with side or rear view mirrors. Most of us are taught during a driver’s education course to turn our heads and look for blind spots before switching lanes or backing up, but sometimes many of us forget to do this. Driving a car that allows for the most visibility is one really good way to make sure you can see as much as possible.
Some cars have great visibility and few blind spots, but other cars are disasters waiting to happen. According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, here are the cars with the fewest blind spots.
- Subaru Forester: the safety here is mostly due to the massive windows that the Forester has. With these windows, drivers can easily see around the majority of the car, so blind spots are reduced.
- Subaru Legacy/Outback: once again, Subaru has made a car with large windows, big mirrors, and roof pillars that don’t block a driver’s view.
- Land Rover Range Rover and Land Rover Range Rover Sport: this is just a really big car with really big windows. Plus, sitting in one of these cars really lets you tower over everyone else (which might not be so great if you let that height get to you while road raging), which means that you can see better than most people. Consumer reports only lists these two Land Rover models, though, so the great visibility might not apply to all Land Rover models. Height ads it’s own issues sometimes. Make sure to get a back up camera installed, because the taller a vehicle, the more room there is to lose sight of something behind it.
- Honda Fit: here’s another SUV that gets good marks thanks to big windows and a special sail window. All of the windows included in this model combined with the height of the car make for a safe car with very few blind spots.
- Mercedes Benz E-Class: while this sedan doesn’t look like a classic Mercedes (and that’s why a lot of Mercedes fans don’t love it) the E-class does have great visibility.
Some of the Worst
Consumer Reports also lists some of the worst cars for visibility:
- Nissan Z: the shape of this car really restricts viewing, and that’s a dangerous thing. If you’re going to buy a Z, make sure to at least install a back up camera.
- Porsche Boxster: low seats, small mirrors, and high dash make the Boxster fun to drive and look at, but kind of a nightmare when it comes to visibility. A rear camera would really make this car a lot safer to drive, since it’s nearly impossible not to zoom in and out of lanes if you are driving a Boxster.
- Chevrolet Camaro: once again, the sports design of this car fails when it comes to visibility. The Camaro is fun to drive, but lacks when it comes to sight – and there are higher rated sports cars out there.
Installing a Rear Camera
Cars are all about personal preferences. Most people buy cars based on looks alone, so it’s understandable that you may not love any of the safer cars listed here. But, do make sure to install a rear camera if you are going to buy a car that doesn’t have great visibility. Contact us for details and pricing, and we’ll be happy to make any car that you buy safer!
It’s also important to keep in mind that some cars feel genuinely safe, but those cars aren’t always at the top of the safety list. Then again, even though a car you own might be listed here, it’s still important to make use of your head, and turn around when you change lanes, so that you can see whether or not someone is in your blind spot.