Race-car drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher explain five essential car safety technologies that drivers should have in their car

Race-car champions Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher appeared at a CAA event in Montreal, in partnership with Transport Canada and the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society, to speak about new car safety technologies that drivers should have in their cars. "As a race car driver, I know that any technological edge I can get is important," said Villeneuve. "The same is true when it comes to vehicle safety." Systems such as Electronic Stability Control are already available on some cars, but according to the two drivers, the new safety technologies below should be widely available and sought out by all drivers. "We know these technologies reduce the impact of injuries and save lives," Schumacher said. "Canadians should be aware of them, and make them a consideration when buying a new car." Here are the five most important car safety features that you should look for when purchasing a new vehicle:

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) can prevent an accident by significantly reducing the risk of your car going into a skid during a sudden emergency manoeuvre. ESC applies automatic braking to certain wheels, and it may temporarily cut engine power to help a driver maintain control.

BLIND-SPOT MONITORING helps you avoid a crash with a vehicle in another lane by continuously screening the blind spots on the sides of your vehicle.

LANE SUPPORT SYSTEMS monitor the position of your vehicle and can warn you when you unintentionally leave your lane or change lanes suddenly.

WARNING AND EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEMS detect the danger of your vehicle colliding with the vehicle in front of you. In the event of a potential collision, the systems warn you about the threat, and if you take no action, the technologies activate the brakes and can apply the seatbelt pretension device to avert or mitigate the severity of a collision.

SPEED ALERT can help you avoid speeding by alerting you through an audio or visual warning that you've exceeded the posted speed limit. This technology is widely available in Europe but is not yet available in North America.