By Tony Scotti

Over my many years of conducting training programs the definition of Executive Vehicles has changed dramatically. But the goal of executive vehicles, getting the executive from point A to point B safely and securely, and in a degree of comfort and utility has not changed.

In a low risk environment the concentration is on vehicle safety. It does not require much effort or time to ensure the executive vehicle is the safest vehicle available. With that in mind I urge all those responsible for supplying executive security to visit www.safercar.gov. In fact I urge all those who will be buying a vehicle for themselves or family to go to this web site. Once on the site click on the resources section and download “Buying a Safe Car 2008.”

What makes a safe Executive Vehicle?
Each car manufacture has a brand name for Electronic Stability Control (ESC). It assists drivers in maintaining control of their vehicle during extreme maneuvers or on slippery roads. The numbers are impressive. Studies have shown that it will reduce single vehicle accidents by 28%, and by 48% in SUV’s.

Look for vehicles with the best crash rating, you can find the numbers on safercar.gov

Ensure the vehicle has Side Air Bags, called SAB. If you are thinking about a SUV, find one with as many airbags in as many places as possible. Some SUV’s have airbags on the roof.

The driver should know the payload capacity of the vehicle and try not to exceed it. In a SUV the payload capacity is critical. Once an SUV is overloaded, the chance of a rollover increases dramatically.

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) The combination of low tire pressures and an overloaded vehicle are a dangerous scenario, and that is true in any vehicle.

I would also suggest that you look at the rollover ratings for the vehicle you are thinking about. As an example; A Cadillac DTS has a Five Star rating which means a 5 to 10% average chance of a rollover if involved in a single car crash. An Escalade has a Three Star rating which means a 20 to 30% average chance of a rollover if involved in a single car crash.

The Driver
As more companies are using SUV’s as executive transportation there is a concern about SUV’s having a higher roll over probability than sedans. What also is true is the high rollover rate is due to the way they are driven. What a surprise. So the best safety device in the vehicle is the driver.

The most dangerous maneuver a driver can make in an SUV is combine speed and a lot of steering. A good driver knows that and avoids situations that would create that scenario.

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