• The Lexus ES 300 came with safety features such as pretensioned seat belts.seat belt receptacle image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
  
  Lexus is a Japanese luxury brand that was launched in 1989 by Toyota. An edmunds.com review of the ES 300 explains, "While Lexus sold three generations of the ES 300, those initial impressions remained remarkably consistent: Pick any year and you'd find a roomy, well-built midsize sedan." 1998 was the first year Lexus introduced certain safety features. According to edmunds.com, "Safety-minded buyers will probably want to skip right to the 1998 model year, as this was when the ES received side airbags and reduced-force front airbags."
  
  

Anti-lock Brakes

• The 1998 Lexus ES 300 featured a four-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS). These brakes prevented wheels from locking while driving on a slippery surface or during a panic stop. Without ABS, a driver had to manually pump the brakes in order to maintain control. ABS functioned as an automatic brake-pumping system, which enabled a driver to focus on steering.
  
  

Driver and Passenger Airbags

• The ES 300 was equipped with front- and side-impact airbags for both the driver and passenger. When a front or side impact was detected, a sensor activated a charge that inflated the airbags. Front airbags protected vehicle occupants from windshield, dashboard and steering wheel impact; side airbags reduced the risk of injury to the torso and pelvis.
  
  

Seat-belt Pretensioners and Alarms

• The Lexus ES 300 offered front seat-belt pre-tensioners as a safety feature, in addition to a security system and a panic alarm. Pre-tensioned seat-belts operated much like airbags; a sensor activated the belt, causing it to tighten across the occupant and serve as an automatic restraint. The 1998 ES 300 also came equipped with an anti-theft security system and a panic alarm. In emergency situations, panic alarms set off the car's alarm and were activated remotely by pressing a button on the key chain.