A spare tire use to be standard equipment in a new car, an extra layer of safety distressed drivers could count on to get them out of a jam. But those days are over. Joan Freeman of Waltham, Mass., learned that the hard way after a blowout. She called AAA to have her flat fixed, only for the technician to find not a doughnut, but a repair kit for small leaks; totally useless with the damage to her tire.
“I never, ever would have bought that car without a donut,” Freeman told CBS Boston. “What if this happens when I was alone, or it was at night, or my granddaughter was with me?”
AOL Autos told readers about this trend a few years ago, when automakers started ditching the donut to score better fuel economy. They’re also abandoning spare tires for a number of reasons, including safety.
Changing a flat on the side of the road can be dangerous. Although no one keeps track of how many people die each year changing tires, about 4,000 pedestrians are struck and killed each year, according to the government’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System database. About 700 of those pedestrians are people working in the roadway.
Blowouts are becoming rarer with advance technology and safety measures. Since 2006 cars have carried mandatory tire pressure monitoring systems that alert drivers when tires are dangerously low. Keeping tires properly inflated go a long way to preventing blowouts. Tires are also built in such a way that even when punctured a tire can remain safe to drive on for a number of miles, at least long enough to get the driver safely to a shop. All of these factors means doughnuts have become dead weight. Spares are left out of cars to make them more fuel-efficient.
Still, when a driver goes to change a flat and finds nothing in the trunk they risk being stranded, especially in rural areas where cell phone reception is spotty. If you want to luge around a spare, you can get one as an option for an additional $100 and $400. Or spares can be purchased online for about the same price. It always makes sense when buying a vehicle to know every aspect of the car, including what’s in the trunk, so you have no surprises in an emergency.
If you’re lucky enough to have a doughnut and unlucky enough to experience a blowout watch this video to learn how to change a flat.
Featured Gallery
Insure.com recently released results of a study that evaluated passenger safety in more than 750 vehicles. The study analyzed insurance rates for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Medical Payments (MedPay) – coverage that pays for injuries to your passengers in a crash. Simply put: The lower the rates, the safer the car for passengers.
Though the study doesn’t get into the nitty-gritty details about what makes some of the cars perform badly, all in all, the results showed that bigger is better when it comes to this type of safety.
“It’s not just the size, but also that there’s more room between the occupants and what they will interact with,” said Pete Leiss, head of crash practice at Lancaster, Pa.-based Robson Forensic.
Though small cars often perform well in crash tests, Insure.com said, sheer size of your car will ultimately go further in protecting your passengers. Click on through to see which vehicles are the best for passenger safety, and which are the worst.
Sticker Price: $46,335 – $65,680
Invoice Price: $43,092 – $61,082
Fuel Economy: 16 mpg City, 23 mpg Highway
Completely redesigned for the 2015 model year, theGMC Yukon can seat a lot of people both comfortably and safely. Safety features standard on all Yukons include four-wheel anti-lock brakes, StabiliTrak stability control system with rollover mitigation, seven airbags, including a new center mounted front airbag, tire pressure monitoring system, rear vision camera and OnStar with Automatic Crash Response.
The Yukon isn’t cheap, but you get a lot for your money, including all kinds of comfort and tech features.
Research the GMC Yukon
GMC Yukon Overview
GMC Yukon Photos & Video
GMC Yukon Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $30,035 – $47,520
Invoice Price: $27,707 – $43,837
Fuel Economy: NA
The big, burlyF-250 is one of Ford’s heavy-duty truck offerings. It boasts loads of torque and a high towing capacity, as well as numerous safety features that help to keep passengers safe.
In addition to its large size, the F-250 works to ensure its occupants safety with traction control and electronic stability control, a hill launch assist feature and side curtain airbags. Available safety features include a reverse camera system and stolen vehicle tracking system.
Research the Ford F-250
Ford F-250 Overview
Ford F-250 Photos & Video
Ford F-250 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $49,600 – $146,000Invoice Price: NAFuel Economy: 15 mpg City, 22 mpg Highway
Legendary Porsche driving prowess comes in SUV form with theCayenne. In addition to great driving dynamics and luxury, the Cayenne also benefits from having a wide range of safety features, including Porsche Stability Management (PSM), Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC).Research the Porsche CayennePorsche Cayenne OverviewPorsche Cayenne Photos & VideoPorsche Cayenne Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $31,565 – $53,740Invoice Price: $29,671 – $49,978Fuel Economy: NA
The big, burlySierra 2500 is available in a wide array of bed sizes, wheelbases, drive types and cab sizes, as well as a variety of trim levels. Stability control, hill start assist and a trailer sway control system are standard on the Sierra 2500 and its large size and sturdy construction make it very safe for passengers.
The Sierra is more expensive than the Chevrolet Silverado, which is a very similar truck, but it comes with a nicer interior and more features.Research the GMC Sierra 2500GMC Sierra 2500 OverviewGMC Sierra 2500 Photos & VideoGMC Sierra 2500 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $31,940 – $50,730
Invoice Price: $29,464 – $46,798
Fuel Economy: NA
The F-350, which is another Heavy Duty offering from Ford, topped the list as the safest cars for passengers, according to Insure.com. Its massive size is obviously an asset when it comes to safety, but the truck also comes numerous standard safety features (most of which can also be found on the F-250) such as traction control, electronic stability control, a hill launch assist feature and side curtain airbags.
Research the Ford F-350
Ford F-350 Overview
Ford F-350 Photos & Video
Ford F-350 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $11,990 – $16,890
Invoice Price: $11,703 – $16,465
Fuel Economy: 27 mpg City, 36 mpg Highway
In general, we’ve been pretty pleased with what we’ve seen from Nissan’s offering in the small sedan segment. TheVersa was recently redesigned with new styling and a new interior. Passenger safety, however, is not this car’s forte, according to Insure.com.
Research the Nissan Versa
Nissan Versa Overview
Nissan Versa Photos & Video
Nissan Versa Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $17,195 – $28,395
Invoice Price: $16,469 – $27,196
Fuel Economy: 25 mpg City, 34 mpg Highway
TheMitsubishi Lancer has hung around for quite some time now, in spite of slow sales and low name recognition. The car can be had in a couple of exciting trims and engine configurations, such as the Ralliart and Evolution, but it’s still at the bottom of the totem pole in this segment. Passenger safety is just one issue with this car.
Research the Mitsubishi Lancer
Mitsubishi Lancer Overview
Mitsubishi Lancer Photos & Video
Mitsubishi Lancer Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $16,800 – $21,300
Invoice Price: $15,876 – $19,722
Fuel Economy: 28 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway
Toyota’s recent redesign of theCorolla helped its looks and its interior, but didn’t do much for passenger safety. This small sedan is the third-worst on Insure.com’s list, which is the exact same position the previous-generation Corolla was in last year.
Research the Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla Overview
Toyota Corolla Photos & Video
Toyota Corolla Local Dealer Price Quote
MSRP: $16,195 – $22,195Invoice: $15,801 – $21,381Fuel Economy: 31 mpg City, 40 mpg Highway
The second-worst car for passenger safety, according to the study, is theFiat 500. The little Italian hatchback boasts bold styling and great fuel economy, but passenger safety is a concern across all trim levels.
Occupants are protected by seven airbags, active front head restraints, electronic stability and traction control and a tire pressure monitoring system, but the reality is that this teeny car is going to lose almost every time it’s in a collision.Research the Fiat 500Fiat 500 OverviewFiat 500 Photos & VideoFiat 500 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $14,430 – $16,540
Invoice Price: $13,853 – $15,877
Fuel Economy: 30 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway
Toyota’s small hatchback is this year’s worst car for passenger safety, according to the study. TheYaris comes with safety features like anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, electronic stability and traction control, whiplash-lessening front seats, front seatbelt pretensioners and nine airbags. But the reality is this is a small, cramped car, much like the Fiat 500, making it a fundamentally more dangerous place to be a passenger.
Research the Toyota Yaris
Toyota Yaris Overview
Toyota Yaris Photos & Video
Toyota Yaris Local Dealer Price Quote