Are You Making a Safe Auto Choice?
Posted on Mon, Jan 31, 2011
When it comes to purchasing a vehicle, safety is king. But the effort it takes to do all the research can be time-consuming. Fortunately, there are organizations like the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) that have already done the leg work. They’ve compiled a list of the top safest vehicles for 2011.
The Institute uses rigorous criteria to determine which vehicles make the cut. Crashworthiness — how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash — is determined by rating vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in high-speed front and side crash tests, a rollover test, plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. To earn Top Safety Pick for 2011 a vehicle must have good ratings in all four Institute tests. In addition, the winning vehicles must offer electronic stability control.
If you’re thinking about buying a new car, check to see which ones are on the list of 2011 Safety Winners. If you’re opting to purchase a used car instead of new, the Institute’s site also lists winners for previous years.