#LaneDepartureWarning

Advanced safety features on our vehicles help reduce potential accidents, but they aren’t perfect.

The Tesla Model S is getting several new advanced safety features.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a list today which they call the “2013 Most Wanted,” meant to bring to light ten major issues facing transportation in the coming year. 

Images of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe leaked today, giving us an idea of what features to expect in the upcoming model.

The lane-departure warning system will soon be found in a mainstream American family sedan as Ford introduces the new 2013 Ford Fusion at the upcoming 2012 Detroit Auto Show.

General Motors is targeting a safety issue with new equipment that until now has been unaddressed.

Tomorrow, if you pick up a copy of USA Today or The Washington Post, you’re likely to see Volvo’s full page ad, calling for legislation on “distracted driving.” The ads come on the very day that the U.S. Department of Transportation begins its two day Distracted Driving Summit to discuss the issue. Along with senior DOT staff, the summit will also host elected officials, safety advocates, academics and law enforcement representatives. Volvo, however, is not a participant, although the company that has built a reputation for vehicles that are, above all else, safe, obviously has something to say on the matter.

“With the proliferation of cell phone use and text messaging while behind the wheel, distracted driving is on the rise and is a leading cause of traffic accidents,” said Doug Speck, Volvo Cars North America president and CEO. “Reasonable laws that help focus a driver’s attention on the road will help reduce collisions, just as laws to enforce seat belt use have helped save lives. By holding this summit, the DOT is demonstrating its commitment to resolve an ever-growing safety issue.”

Along with numerous safety innovations throughout the decades, more recently Volvo prides itself on electronic systems such as lane departure warning or even the new “City Safety” system which debuted on the XC60 (above), that can actually stop the vehicle when a collision is detected.

Currently only seven states have banned cell phone use (without a hands-free device) while driving, while 18 states have laws against texting while driving.

Official release after the jump: