How the Chevy Traverse Is One of the Safest Options When Looking for a Used SUV

Since it was first introduced in 2009, the Chevy Traverse has always been one of the premier family SUV models in the Chevrolet lineup. This is because the Traverse was designed to give family drivers a three-row SUV model with the roominess they need for all of their kids and belongings. Anyone with kids knows that they come with a lot of stuff, whether it’s school books, sports equipment, musical instruments, or art projects. Our kids are busy, and they keep us busy.

In addition, we know that there are other factors that family drivers like us are looking for. We need to know that our vehicle is safe, reliable, fuel-efficient, and affordable. This is why Chevy created the Traverse. Sure, they have other three-row models like the Tahoe and Suburban, but these full-size models may be just too much vehicle for many drivers, which is why the Traverse has always been so popular. This is also why family drivers looking for a great value are always keeping a used Chevy Traverse for sale at the top of their must-have pre-owned SUV list.

At Riverton Chevrolet, we have been providing drivers in Utah with great vehicles for over 100 years. Our family has been happy to provide your families with models like the Chevy Traverse so that you can meet all of your transportation needs in one exceptional model. The key to the Traverse has always been giving you features to keep you and your family safe throughout all of your travels, and you can find that abundance of safety tools throughout our extensive pre-owned Traverse inventory.

The First Generation of the Traverse Set a Standard in Safety

When Chevy introduced the Traverse in 2009, it was looking to create a model that fit the lifestyles of family drivers. Part of this was reflected in the standard three rows of seats on the midsize Traverse. This gave drivers the ability to seat up to eight passengers depending on the type of second-row seating they chose on their Traverse. Some models have two captain’s chairs, which increases second-row comfort and ease of entry to the third row, but it comes at the expense of an extra seat. As a result, higher-end trims have seating for up to seven passengers.

The other part of making sure the Traverse is the right model for family drivers is ensuring this model has the safety features to protect all passengers, including the young children of many families. Chevy included a choice of rearview cameras on the 2009 Traverse, depending on the size of the touchscreen included on the model. This is also why the first Traverse models feature six airbags. This includes front passenger airbags to shield against front-end collisions and a pair of full-length side-curtain airbags and front side-impact airbags to protect all three rows from crashes to the sides of the Traverse.

Chevy also made StabiliTrak standard on the Traverse. This provides greater stability as well as a rollover mitigation technology to prevent the vehicle from flipping in a collision or skid. You can even find a 2009 Traverse with available Ultrasonic Rear Park Assist, which is designed to make it safer and easier to get into a parallel parking spot. As a result of all of these standards, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) chose to name the debut model of the Traverse a Top Safety Pick.

For those who don’t already know, the IIHS is an independent agency that performs a series of crash and safety tests on most new passenger vehicles. The top models are awarded with the designation Top Safety Pick depending on how they rank among models in their vehicle class. During the first generation of the Traverse, which ran until the 2017 model year, the model was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS a total of four different times: 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

The reason why the Traverse keeps appearing on the IIHS Top Safety Pick list during the first generation is because of the near-constant improvements in the safety and driver assistance features on the model. In 2013, the Traverse became the first model to sport a front-center airbag. This increased the survivability of the driver and front-row passenger in the Traverse following a head-on or front-impact collision.

In 2014, Chevy added several standard safety features to the Traverse, including a Forward Collision Alert that lets you know if a front impact is imminent so you can take evasive action and a Lane-Departure Warning, which helps you avoid drifting into an adjacent lane. In addition, the 2014 Traverse offered such optional safety systems like Side Blind Zone Alert with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, which helped you know if a vehicle was about to cross behind your Traverse or if the coast was clear when changing lanes. Standard OnStar was added in 2016 so you could communicate with an assistance operator if you needed emergency assistance with your Traverse.

The Second Generation Traverse Continued to Improve Its Safety Features

The use of advanced driver assistance technology signaled by the later years of the first generation Traverse would become a key part of this model during the second generation, which was introduced in 2018. The new 2018 Traverse was the first to feature standard Teen Driver, a system that gave parents peace of mind when their family’s new driver was behind the wheel.

In addition to a Buckle to Drive feature added in 2020 that requires all passengers to be wearing seat belts before the vehicle could be put into gear, the Traverse’s Teen Driver also limited the volume on the infotainment system while making it impossible for the young driver to deactivate any of the advanced safety features. In addition, parents were given an after-report by Teen Driver to let them know how the young driver did. We imagine this led to a number of youngsters getting grounded, but it was a small price to pay for passenger safety.

The 2018 Traverse also introduced such driver assistance features to the model as Surround Vision, Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Park Assist, Forward Automatic Braking, Lane Keep Assist, IntelliBeam automatic high beam headlights, and a Following Distance Indicator, courtesy of the Driver Confidence II Package. These were initially offered as optional equipment on most trim levels, with the top trims including some of these as standard features. As a result, the IIHS named the Traverse a Top Safety Pick in 2021, as these available active safety features made the Traverse safer to drive than ever before.

Chevy continued to improve the Traverse with each successive year. In 2022, the Chevy Safety Assist suite of six active driver assistance features became standard on all Traverse models. This means that every Traverse from the 2022 model year and after has such systems as Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, Following Distance Indicator, and Front Pedestrian Braking to reduce the chances of a front-end collision, as well as lessen the damages caused by one that proves unavoidable.

In addition, the Traverse has Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning to help prevent collisions caused by distracted drivers drifting into adjacent lanes. If you take your eyes off the road for a moment and begin to drift, an alert will sound, and the system will use slight steering adjustments to get you back on the straight and narrow before you’ve even noticed there is a problem.

For One of the Safest SUVs on the Used Market, Consider a Chevy Traverse

Chevy has built a legacy of passenger safety and driver assistance in the Traverse that is simply unrivaled. Since its introduction in 2009, the Traverse has been a leader in passenger safety for three-row, midsize SUVs. This is shown by the numerous times the model has been named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. It is also proven by the constant addition of safety and driver assistance technologies on the Traverse, culminating in the current model and its expansive list of standard features. No matter which used Traverse model you choose, you know that you are getting one that will keep you and your family safe all along the road you travel. Head on into Riverton Chevrolet today, and let us help you make a used Chevy Traverse your next family vehicle!