Shopping for car safety

It’s a top priority for many parents

When shopping for a new car, look at the entities who evaluate vehicle safety. In the U.S., there are two: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).

The NHTSA is a federal government agency that conducts crash testing of new vehicles using a five-star rating system. They test for front and side-impact, as well as rollover testing on SUVs and pick-ups. Their mission is to keep Americans safe on roadways.

The IIHS is an independent nonprofit agency founded by major insurance companies. You might recognize them as the entity behind Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+. The IIHS also performs rigorous crash testing of vehicles.

Both safety agencies have their nuances. For instance, the U.S. News & World Report points out, “the NHTSA’s rollover test evaluates a vehicle’s resistance to flipping over. The IIHS rollover test, meanwhile, evaluates roof strength, should a rollover actually occur.” For consumers, it means looking at data from both entities when making a buying decision

Consider your family’s unique needs. The number of family members, including beloved dogs or other pets, should be factored in. Choose a vehicle that you as a driver feel comfortable operating. If you don’t like the feeling of a car with a longer body style (or shorter), then it’s not for you. Also take into account how the driver’s seat feels and the positioning of the dashboard.

Many moms are familiar with the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, which are the built-in attachments for children’s car seats. While new cars have them, they are different to find and use in each vehicle. Bring your child’s car seat while car shopping, so you can feel comfortable using what you’re buying. As with any safety system, it’s only as good as the way it’s properly used.

Newer cars will have better safety features, as they are built upon years of data and research. Safety requirements also increase, such as electronic stability control systems required in vehicles since 2011 and rearview video backup systems since 2018.

Sources: NHTSA, IIHS, U.S. News & World Report

A few of many safety features

The lists are long and detailed, which is great for anyone who loves to research. A few of the newer ones include:

Numerous Airbags

Dual front airbags are required by law in passenger vehicles. There are many more airbags available, though, such as knee, side and curtain airbags. You can find new mid-size cars with upwards of 10 airbags.

Adaptive Headlights

Sometimes called smart headlights, they adjust in shape, brightness and direction with-

out blinding oncoming traffic.

Electronic Stability Control

Sensors to avoid or control skidding, sliding and rollovers have been shown to reduce crashes by 35 percent or more.

Collision Avodiance System

Using radar and camera systems, these offer lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection, collision warnings and parking assistance. They may take some getting used to, so give yourself time to learn them.

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Brought to you by:

Kristina Jara

Kristina has been with Capitol Auto Group for over two years as a Service Business Development Specialist. Kristina and her husband Austin have two amazing children, Thomas who is 5, and Kiylee who is 4. “There are so many things I love about working for Capitol, including how it’s become another family to me,” Kristina says. In her spare time she enjoys doing puzzles with her family and reading books with her children.