Ways to make and old car safer?

“A car tyre is the second most important piece of rubber in a man’s life”

All jokes aside, buy the best road tyres and brake pads (inc. discs) that is most suitable for your common driving environment.

Down here in rural Ireland I’ve got “wet / rain” tyres. Not only can I stop on a penny, the car (Audi TT mk1) can also shift pretty quick for safely manoeuvring hazards. 99% of time I drive like a grandpa :-)

Be hyper aware of drivers around you too. If there’s a driver following who clearly shows they are _determined_ to overtake then the safest option is to pull over and let them. Their sense of judgement might be poor and result in a collision where you are collateral damage.

I drive a 2001 Corolla and have wondered the same thing. From watching a lot of Australian Dashcam Owners YouTube channel I've picked up a few defensive driving habits like checking for cars driving through red lights or avoiding driving beside semi trailers. I also wear prescription polarised sunglasses glasses while driving to bring my eyesight from okay to perfect. Polarised removed any distortion from the old front window.

Fastidious care for tires, and brakes. Best available tires for local conditions. Perfect windscreen hygiene. Possibly LED lights or replacement lenses.

Definitely, yes, but exists nuances.

Auto safety divided to active and passive parts.

Active part are what working before accident - powerful engine, reliable brakes, good suspension, right tires, and in many cases you could just install best components and will have better safety than on median new car.

Passive part, what works if accident happen - strong safety shell (tube frame addition like in rally cars), multi-point belts (4-5-6 points, instead of standard 3-points), possible to install some soft and non-flammable interior panels.

For some design flaws it is possible to add fixes - for example, first ZAZ-1102 Tavria's have flaw, that on accident hood broke off the hinges and flies through windshield accurately to driver neck, and in later machines welded to hood safety corner, which hooks to frame if hinges broken.

Also you could add reinforcing arcs and many other addons.

And least, armored capsule made auto much safer, but it cost/weight could be prohibitive. Usually it implemented on large autos, like f-250, with large size/weight and large engine, but technologies grow, once it will be acceptable for smallest cars.

There isn’t. Sell the car, use the money towards a new one.

Go to driving school. It’s more often the driver, not the car, that makes a difference.

Active safety systems are a net meant to prevent a bad decision from turning into a worse one.

https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/subaru/forester/ea9a...

It‘s a pretty safe car for the driver and passenger. The modern tech generally avoid accidents (notably esp,abs, ebd). Keep your beakes & tires in a good shape, check the integrity of your seat belt ( loose screws, torn belts) and airbags(if any).

If you’re an attentive driver your biggest risk is other drivers. Not much you can do to be honest. If you add a rollcage you’ll likely bang your head against it I a crash, so I guess you could wear a helmet. Other than that I doubt there is a market for safety that applies to your car.

I always put on my headlights, day, night, whenever... I always have them on. A lot of cars tend to blend in with the background on non-sunny days, and this helps them stand out.

The studies are mixed, but for a few more bulbs, you'll be a bit safer.

Add a vehicle backup camera.

You are overestimating most modern safety tech. Its made first and foremost to pass tests, not to explicitly save your life. That said, I drive a pre airbag car and treat it like riding a motorcycle.

Check it for rust. If you've got structural rust, you can't even assume the original safety characteristics anymore.

Wear a football gear, shoulder pad, helmet and all.

If you wherent concerned for the life of the car.. whtmy now? Your safety hasnt changed.