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Look for the best car safety rating !!

Performance, style, size, fuel consumption ... Hum ! What about car safety rating ? Should'ntthis be your top criteria in choosing your next vehicle ??

Too often we "fall in love" for a vehicle, its style and looks ... its image, Then we look for its ability to meet our needs. One of the most important need should be our safety, particularlyin an accident involving a crash. The quality of vehicle's "defense" against collision impactsmay save your life. No kidding !! A good car safety rating is important ! Let me re-phrase this :it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL !!

So, one of the first step in evaluating your next buy should be to check the vehicle safety rating.Government agencies in North America and Europe perform, every year, crash tests on a vast selection of makes and models and develop a car safety rating based on a set of standards andcriterias.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in USA performs two types of crash tests forsafety rating purposes: a full-frontal crash into a rigid barrier at 35 mph, with separate ratings for the driver andfront passenger and a side-impact crash that simulates a vehicle traveling at 17 mph being hit in the side by a 3,000-pound car travelling at 34 mph. A five-star car safetyrating (highest score) indicates the best protection of occupants from serious injury.

The following are some of the 2002 makes and models tested by the NHTSA which scored with a high car safety rating :

2002 Acura 3.2 TL 4-DR. w/SAB
2002 Chevrolet Impala 4-DR
2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser 4-DR.
2002 Ford Windstar
2002 Honda Accord 4-DR.
2002 Honda Odyssey w/SAB
2002 Hyundai Sonata 4-DR
2002 Infiniti I35 4-DR. w/SAB
2002 Kia Sedona Van
2002 Lincoln LS 4-DR. w/SAB
2002 Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR.
2002 Nissan Maxima 4-DR.
2002 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon
2002 Toyota Sienna
2002 Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR. w/SAB

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in USA takes a different approach calledthe offset-frontal test. In the IIHS tests, only 40 percent of the vehicle's driver's sidefront hits the barrier, which is deformable, rather than rigid, so that it crumples as another car might. Tests are conducted at 40 mph, rather than 35 mph, because IIHS researchersdetermined that the higher speed allows the offset crash to cover real-world crashes, including those where a collapsing vehicle structure contributes to injury.

The following are some of the 2002 vehicles with a good car safety rating based on the IIHSoffset-frontal tests :

2002 BMW 5 SERIES
2002 LINCOLN LS
2002 BUICK PARK AVENUE
2002 CADILLAC SEVILLE
2002 VOLVO S80
2002 LEXUS ES 300
2002 AUDI A4
2002 TOYOTA AVALON
2002 SUZUKI AERIO
2002 HONDA CIVIC
2002 SUBARU IMPREZA
2002 ACURA MDX
2002 HONDA CR-V
2002 TOYOTA SIENNA

In Europe, the Euro NCAP also supports the offset-crash testing for the same reasons.Of all the 2002 makes and models tested the following came on top of the car safetyrating charts provided by the NCAP experts :

2002 Audi A2
BMW Mini
Vauxhall/Opel Corsa
Volkswagen Polo
Ford Mondeo
Jaguar X-Type
Vauxhall/Opel Vectra
Peugeot 607
Honda S2000
Mazda MX-5
Mercedes-Benz SLK
Range Rover
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Honda CR-V

The information on car safety is improving and is more and more credible. A good car safetyrating is a crucial part in the evaluation of your next buy, be it used or new. Do yourself a favour, select your next vehicle with the safety of your family in mind.

A high car safety rating means a lower risk of car accident injury !!


Need more information on car safety rating ? Click here.





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