Auto safety is very important to every Phoenix Arizona driver. We have already explored Volvo’s groundbreaking safety initiative in a previous blog, but how do we search for key safety features and markers in the general auto market? Let’s say that you’re shopping for a new or used non-Volvo car in the Phoenix Valley area. What are some of the key characteristics that you’re likely to be looking for?
While asking a dealership sales person can be a good way of getting some general model specific info, one must keep in mind that they may have the ulterior motive of selling you the most expensive car with the most options, as opposed to the safest car with the most practicality. Online auto forums and recommendations can also be useful, yet the information online is generally not regulated by knowledgeable governing bodies, and thus not always entirely reliable. Recommendations from friends and family are also a useful starting point, but in the end, a Phoenix Arizona resident in the market for a safe automobile should take it upon themselves to do some hard independent research into the matter.
The best and most reliable information can be found at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety web site. Each year, the independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization conducts its own crash tests in order to determine a vehicle’s ability to protect it’s occupants during a collision, its “Crash-worthiness”. The vehicles that come out on top of this list are placed on the IIHS Top Safety Picks list.
In order for a vehicle to score a positive rating with the Institute, it must satisfactorily perform in each of four tests: Front and side crash tests, a rollover test, plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts.
The website includes ratings as far back as 2006, which makes it a valuable resource for Phoenix Arizona residents in the market for either a new or used car.
