Car for elderly dad needs safety features

in front of you. If the computer determines that you haven’t started to slow or steer away soon enough, it concludes that you’re texting your bookie or otherwise not paying attention, and it sounds a warning. If you still don’t respond, it applies the brakes for you. These systems are preventing a lot of body repair — both automotive and human.

Blind-spot monitoring is another must-have. As the name implies, a light on the side-view mirror or A-pillar tells you when there’s traffic coming up beside you so you don’t change lanes into a FedEx truck you didn’t notice.

So one place to start is at the website of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Here’s a list of its Top Safety Picks: www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/TSP-List. You want a car that gets a “Top Safety Pick+” rating. That means it rates well not only for crash protection, but also for crash prevention.

On that list, you’ll find the 2017 Camry, the 2017 Accord, the 2017 Chevy Volt and a bunch of other good options.

And then — and this is just as important — help Dad find something he’s comfortable driving. Make sure the car he buys has all the desired features because a lot of times it’s optional equipment. And if he ends up with a pink Chevy, you can let your brother inherit it.