What Do Safety Ratings Mean For Cars?
IIHS Safety Ratings
One of the most important factors to consider when looking for a new car is how safe it is. Luckily, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, tests how well every vehicle will protect passengers during a crash, or its crashworthiness, before it hits the market.
Along with vehicles crashworthiness, the IIHS also rates all systems that warn the driver of an upcoming collision or automatic braking systems, known as front crash prevention systems, before they hit the road. Cars that perform the best in all of these tests can qualify for either the Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick + awards.
In order for a car model to qualify for a Top Safety Pick award in 2015, it must earn good rating in the moderate overlap side, front, roof strength, and head restraint tests, while also getting an acceptable or good rating in the small overlap front test. Also, for the car model to qualify for the Top Safety Pick + award in 2015, it must meet all of the criteria for the Top Safety Pick award, plus earn a superior or advanced rating for front crash prevention.
Car models that earn the Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick + awards are grouped into size categories. Since weight and size have a strong influence on how passengers of the vehicle are protected in serious crashes, large, heavy vehicles are not rated on the same scale as small, lighter vehicles. A small vehicle that earned a Top Safety Pick + award is not necessarily much safer than a large vehicle that did not win the award.
No matter what vehicle you invest in, having the right auto insurance policy is the best way to ensure that you and your family stay safe on the road. Contact the insurance experts at Massive insurance in Pasadena, California for all of your auto insurance coverage needs.