Buying a new car in Prague? Tougher auto safety rules are coming into effect

This article was written in cooperation with Volvo. Read more about our partner content policy here.

In an effort to increase road safety, the European Parliament recently approved a provisional deal that would enforce new vehicle safety standards across the EU. The requirements, due to come into effect by 2022, would make features like distraction warning functions, speed assistant, safe reversing, accident data recorder, and blind-spot monitoring standard fit.

For those in the market for a new car in Prague and the Czech Republic, now may be the time to consider a safety upgrade. But where to begin and how to choose a safety leader among the many options currently available in the Czech Republic?

One of the fastest-growing brands on the Czech market is also credited with the advent of one of the most important auto-safety features ever made. In fact, the announcement of the minimum EU auto safety regulations earlier this year coincides with the 60th anniversary of the three-point safety belt, introduced to the world by Swedish car manufacturer Volvo in 1959.

“By collecting real-world data for a long time, it has been possible to identify what injuries arise in different crashes for men, women, and children,” says Dr. Lotta Jakobsson, senior technical specialist at Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

Volvo’s E.V.A. initiative represents more than 40 years of research and has led to a number of design changes and innovations geared toward better protecting women who are at higher risk of whiplash and chest injuries. A whiplash protection system, intelligent safety shield to prevent chest injury, and an inflatable curtain airbag system, the first airbag system to offer improved protection for both front and rear seat occupants, are just some of the innovations to have emerged from the project.

Czech buyers most frequently bought SUVs: the Volvo XC60, XC90, and XC40. The new Volvo V90 Cross Country Estate is also a popular model in the Czech Republic. The brand currently has eighteen dealers throughout the country. 

The European Commission expects that by 2038 the proposed measures will help save more than 25,000 lives and prevent at least 140,000 serious injuries. Volvo hopes that from 2020, no one who drives any of its new cars should suffer fatal or otherwise serious injuries.

For more information about what Volvo Czech Republic can offer expats visit its dedicated English pages at www.volvocars.com.