When it comes to car buying, one of the most important factors is safety.
Organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conduct independent tests and provide ratings for automobile safety.
Having more than one ratings body is a good thing. Both the IIHS and NHTSA have different processes and types of tests cars run through. Some of these include frontal crash tests, side crash test, roof strength, head restraint and seat tests and others. In addition, these groups look at child seats, tires and other safety components.
Each organization maintains a list of top-rated vehicles that perform the best in tests for crashworthiness, or how well the vehicle protects its occupants in a crash, as well as crash-avoidance systems. Here’s a list of the top-rated cars:
Bonus: Collision-avoidance systems technology that may save your life
