4 Useful Car Safety Gadgets Drivers May Want To Keep In Their Vehicle

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There's a lot to pay attention to when you're behind the wheel, but nothing is more important than your safety and that of others on the road. After all, a lot can go wrong in just a moment. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 40,000 people died on US roadways in 2023. Automakers do their part to make vehicles safer by including advanced capabilities like lane keep assist, automatic cruise control, and active emergency braking systems. 

In addition to these features on many modern cars, there are plenty of add-on products out there that can enhance your driving experience and keep you safer on the road. Gadgets like dash cams and GPS trackers offer extra protection and convenience for your ride. Here are a few car safety items that are worth considering and that you'll be glad to have in your car when you need them.

Dash cams are a must-have car upgrade that can benefit all drivers. These compact video cameras attach to your car's dashboard or windshield and record everything that happens in front of (and sometimes inside) your vehicle. This footage can serve as important evidence in the event of an accident, theft, or other mishap.

Some dash cams also have a parking security mode, which turns them into a combination alarm/surveillance system capable of recording and alerting you of incidents while you're away from your car. Given their usefulness, it's no surprise that many cars now have built-in dash cams. However, if your vehicle doesn't have one, you can purchase a dash cam from Amazon and install it yourself. 

The Rove R2 is a well-regarded dash cam with an average 4.3-star rating from over 37,000 Amazon buyers. It's priced at $99.99 and features a 150-degree wide angle lens that records in 2160P. You can use the companion Rove app to view, download, and manage recordings, and the f/1.5 lens captures footage in low light conditions. If you don't want to spend a lot, you can also get a budget dash cam like the Veement V300 for $26. It records in 2304x1296 resolution at 30 frames per second and includes parking mode and night vision features.

Your car is likely one of the most expensive things you own, so it makes sense to take every step you can to protect it from theft. Using a GPS tracker is an easy and effective way to keep tabs on your car's whereabouts at all times. While devices like Apple AirTags can serve this purpose in a pinch, it's best to use a dedicated GPS tracker if possible. Beyond simple location tracking, many GPS car trackers also include features like real-time driving behavior alerts, trip history, geofencing, and crash detection. 

Bouncie is an highly-rated GPS tracker that connects to your car's OBD2 port. It retails for $89.99 on Amazon, with a monthly subscription fee of $9.65. It's especially useful for anyone who shares their car with young family members and wants to keep an eye on trip history and driving habits. It can also function as an engine code reader and send alerts to your phone, so you're always informed about your car's health. It has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from more than 5,700 Amazon buyers and draws power from your car battery via the OBD connection.

If you are looking for a GPS unit that's a little more discreet, you can get the Tracki GPS tracker for $17.72. There's also a monthly subscription fee of $19.95, but you can cut that by more than 50% by pre-paying for two years up front. It's battery-powered so you can also use it to track your bike, luggage, or anything its built-in magnet will stick to, but you'll need to re-charge it periodically (up to every 10 months depending on usage mode). The Tracki tracker uses a cellular signal and has an average rating of 4.1 stars from more than 40,000 Amazon buyers.

Modern cars feature plenty of screens and buttons that can be distracting while driving. A head-up display (HUD) can display important information in your line of vision so you don't have to take your eyes off the road. This can include speed, navigation guidance, and road or weather conditions. If your car doesn't have a HUD and you want to add one, the SinoTrack head up display is a great option with a 4.2-star rating from over 1,000 Amazon buyers. For just $29.68, it features a 5.5-inch LCD screen that doesn't obstruct your view and lets you switch between display modes depending on your needs. 

For instance, you can opt for a simple speedometer and compass or configure it for a more detailed display that shows driving time, trip distance, mileage, and more. The unit automatically adjusts the screen brightness based on ambient lighting, so you don't have to manually dim or brighten the display. If you are looking for a more compact HUD, you can get the Pyle PHUD19 for $57. It has a 2.7-inch screen and offers many of the same features as the SinoTrack model in a compact, easy-to-mount design.

Your car's tires play a huge role in your driving experience, so it's important that they are inflated to the correct pressure. Incorrect tire pressure can reduce gas mileage, accelerate tire wear, and most importantly, pose a risk to safety. A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) removes the guesswork by displaying the real-time air pressure of each tire on a small screen. 

The Tymate TM7 Tire Pressure Monitor is a popular option on Amazon at $40. It displays tire pressure on in PSI or BAR and has low pressure and high temperature alarms. The Tymate TM7 receiver plugs into your car's 12V power socket and the wireless sensors replace your valve stem caps, so there's no need for complex wiring or setup. It also features one USB-C and one USB-A port so you won't lose charging functionality. Tymate also a sells solar-powered dash-mounted TPMS unit for $79.99 if you want to keep your power socket totally free.