Jess Battison
It’s fair to say a lot of drivers spend a good chunk of their time whipping about in their cars.
And so, they tend to know it pretty well – the best spot to have their drink in easy access, the perfect place to hide snacks, and exactly what degree to angle the mirrors at.
But while you might know the inside of your car like the back of your hand, it seems there’s still stuff we can learn about them.
From being baffled by a ‘mystery’ button to only just discovering what those black dots are, people are still uncovering the purposes behind random features they’ve taken for granted.
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Included in that is drivers saying it’s ‘important to read the manual’ as they realise the actual purpose of the handles inside their car.
You might not even use those handles that sit just above the windows on the car’s ceiling. The most use they might tend to get is if your parent is being dramatic about your driving skills, or when you’re nursing a hangover in the back of the Uber and just trying to survive the journey without vomiting.
But they really can be an important safety feature for a simple reason.
Experts have explained they’re commonly referred to as ‘grab handles’ and act as a ‘sturdy handle’.
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“While they might seem like a minor feature, they actually serve a variety of practical purposes,” experts from Check This Car told The Express.
“Grab handles provide support when entering or exiting the vehicle. This is especially helpful for elderly passengers, individuals with mobility challenges.”
And users on Reddit made this clear when people asked what is even ‘the point’ of them.
“They help people with problems sitting and standing to get in and out of the car,” one explained.
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Others however said they’re more for ‘holding on in stress situations’ as they’re dubbed ‘panic handles’.
Although, another added: “But me, as a tallish person, I grab them to help lower myself into the seat, and again getting out.”
One TikToker upped the importance of these handles when they discovered there was a small catch inside her handles, meaning they could stay in place.
This led to users to rush to their car and see if their handles had the same catch as one wrote: “This is why it’s important to read the manual. People laugh at me but you will be surprised of what your car can do.”