CX-5 Safety Suggestions

[GTXT23]

I have one thing that has made driving experience much safer IMO . Since there are rarely passengers in the rear seats - I removed all three rear headrests and leave them behind . The vision out the back is perfect and I get a full rear window view --- as well I can lay the rear seats down very easily for cargo - If anyone has other safety suggestions - please share- Obviously reinstall these headrests if you do have passengers .

 

[Mazdiod2]

I did exactly the same thing. I keep them on a shelf in the garage.

 

[a69mach1377]

Same here...been doing that for decades now.

 

[meow_man]

If anyone has other safety suggestions - please share-

I replaced my rear headrests with JDM OEM ones. Still there but much lower. Also allows rear seats to be flip down without headrests hitting front seats.

 

[jadmt]

I replaced my rear headrests with JDM OEM ones. Still there but much lower. Also allows rear seats to be flip down without headrests hitting front seats.

they look great too. I have been meaning to order some.

 

[Jmaz]

Since I rarely have rear passengers I removed the rear headrests years ago. They are kept stored in a zippered tool bag back in the cargo area so they're available if needed.

 

[sm1ke]

Adjusting my side mirrors as shown in the image below made me a much safer driver. I adjust them so that I can barely see my own car in the reflection. If you can't get convex rear view and/or side view mirrors, this is the next best option. Those small stick on convex mirrors and the split mirror style that some cars have can sometimes be confusing to look at.

Also, I don't know how much this might help others, but in my experience, using a quick, "double-honk" in lieu of a longer single honk can reduce instances of road rage. It sounds less aggressive while still prompting action. I use this specifically when someone is sitting at a light and hasn't realized the light has turned green.

 

[Moonlighter]

Don’t delete/disable proven safety features such as the DRL’s is a good start.

 

[GTXT23]

Don’t delete/disable proven safety features such as the DRL’s is a good star-- Since Mazdas leds pretty much last I dont see any reason to turn em off -- They work- However I get lots of drivers who think that in the day - I left my lights on and at night Im beaming them --- so I fire back with the real high beams then they get it ---pretty bright -

They work and since they should last the life of the 5 - Im not tampering with em - Its definitely a good safety feature - anyone get high beamed at night because others think your HBs are on ? I get it a lot on my 25 --so i fire back and they usually just keep beaming me like they're upset

 

[!revOevoM]

anyone get high beamed at night because others think your HBs are on ?

Drive me down memory lane.... My very first brand new car was an '84 300ZX. Holy crap, over 40 years ago! That was the first year for the 300 around the time Datsun was switching over to NIssan. It had a little different head/foglight configuration where the fogs were just on the inside next to the headlights. So, of course driving with low beams and fogs, I got flashed all the time. I'm sure drivers were suprised when I let them know. Wow, I think I paid around $16,000 for that car. How did I ever manage the payments?

 

[N7turbo]

Don’t delete/disable proven safety features such as the DRL’s is a good start.

People confuse the mode unlock as a "DRL disable". That's not how I see it. It just gives you the options the car was designed with--including the option to run the LED accents and all other exterior lights, which is not normally an option. I bet there are thousands of Mazda drivers out there who can't figure out why the light stalk doesn't do anything despite the labels.

What isn't safe is what you describe: getting used to the DRLs and not realizing the tail lights are not on.

 

[ceric]

The first accessory I bought after getting a new vehicle is a pair of tiny round convex mirror... $2 each.

 

[GFrosty]

Adjusting my side mirrors as shown in the image below made me a much safer driver. I adjust them so that I can barely see my own car in the reflection. If you can't get convex rear view and/or side view mirrors, this is the next best option. Those small stick on convex mirrors and the split mirror style that some cars have can sometimes be confusing to look at.

View attachment 335477

Also, I don't know how much this might help others, but in my experience, using a quick, "double-honk" in lieu of a longer single honk can reduce instances of road rage. It sounds less aggressive while still prompting action. I use this specifically when someone is sitting at a light and hasn't realized the light has turned green.

^This is huge. Wish that every driver did this.

Have done this for nearly 50yrs of driving, on all vehicles. And it's the very first thing I do when getting a rental car.

Side mirrors need to be aimed at the blind spot, not alongside the car (which most people do instead). I've got mine adjusted such that a vehicle in the neighboring lane still has a third of its length visible in my rear-view mirror when it appears in the side-view. A motorcycle still slips in there, unseen, but it catches 95% of everything on the road. But then actually turning the head to visually confirm it's safe catches the remaining 5%.

 

[GTXT23]

Adjusting my side mirrors as shown in the image below made me a much safer driver. I adjust them so that I can barely see my own car in the reflection. If you can't get convex rear view and/or side view mirrors, this is the next best option. Those small stick on convex mirrors and the split mirror style that some cars have can sometimes be confusing to look at.

View attachment 335477

Also, I don't know how much this might help others, but in my experience, using a quick, "double-honk" in lieu of a longer single honk can reduce instances of road rage. It sounds less aggressive while still prompting action. I use this specifically when someone is sitting at a light and hasn't realized the light has turned green.

good point - Im stopped at a red light -had a guy in front of me one behind - light goes green - and the car behind be honks a long loud obnixous irritating blasr ---///
literally right as the light hits green / well car in front then thinks its me and decides not to go -sheit im sandwiched in - and finally was able to get out to the left while a honk-fest insued and i barley made the green - they both missed the light honking away - looking back doors started opening -

 

[N7turbo]

^This is huge. Wish that every driver did this.

Have done this for nearly 50yrs of driving, on all vehicles. And it's the very first thing I do when getting a rental car.

Side mirrors need to be aimed at the blind spot, not alongside the car (which most people do instead). I've got mine adjusted such that a vehicle in the neighboring lane still has a third of its length visible in my rear-view mirror when it appears in the side-view. A motorcycle still slips in there, unseen, but it catches 95% of everything on the road. But then actually turning the head to visually confirm it's safe catches the remaining 5%.

And we have blind spot monitoring, which lights up amber in the corner of your eye.

Also, if people actually use their turn signals, the car beeps at you if there is an object there.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I wish all my vehicles had the side dimming mirrors my GX 460 has. I never have to make any special adjustments to mirrors at night. Even the brightest headlights aren’t bothersome.

Is this now an option on late model Mazdas? I thought driver side at least was available on CX-5 within the last few years?

 

[N7turbo]

The Miata has it. Not sure about the CX-5.

 

[GTXT23]

The Miata has it. Not sure about the CX-5.

That would be great

 

[GTXT23]

DrLs are proven to be extremely effective at creating awarness for your vehicle- preventing accidents - once i was against them but with lifetime LEDS - let em burn !! - Its common if not a given ...that people just forget to turn on the headlights after dark - technically dusk is what is taught by most states as its an even MORE dangerous time than pitch black darkness - and - to turn on the headlights at dusk or akways in the rain . period
My guess is that SALESMEN - do NOT spend the proper time going over these vehicles and new features stressing to people ( most ) that just dont understand new technology the inportance of these things and or how cars work in general -

We ( the elite car enthusiasts ) even debate issues which should have zero doubt - then I blame the manufacturers for serious complication of all this tech - I think a manditory download which is an educational video on your specific vehicle would help - after all we are all on these roads with those who know and most who dont ! It may exist and my bad not knowing -
People are tooling along with DRLs- fooled by dash lights always on also -///
so no indication of anything wrong - unless you get out on a freeway thats dark and override the DRLs .Some people dont know that running lights are conected to the headlights - the answer i get is " what are running lights " Problem can be solved by going into AUTO light mode before to hit the road- if the vehicle has it ?? - but that requires forethought - I dont have the answer - but guess some cars like Bentlys have an override which will turn the lights on at dusk or your setting -
i still see cars at night - no running lights and DRLs on - try beam flash - sometimes it works - others not - as ususlly im behind the vehicle ? kooky

 

[Mazdiod2]

I agree about the saftey issue but I think the manufacturer should take it unto themselves to make sure the DRL are easy to use. The auto function should be designed in a way to avoid this driving with only DRL , without any tailights, whatever issues caused by the confusion between dash lights, taillights and DRL shouldn't be put onto the consumer to solve.