You've chosen the safest convertible car seat for your budget - but should you put that seat into an unsafe car?
As parents, we need the assurance that the vehicle we're riding in is well-engineered to provide superior protection for our families. That leaves us with the question: how do we get this assurance?
There are several highly recognized organizations that test and rate the safety of a wide array of car models for different manufacturers. In this article, we'll be taking a look at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), one of the most popular car seat safety organizations, and we'll learn how they test and rate their cars to give us the safest cars for children. I'll also give you a shortlist of the safest cars in 2020.
How are Cars Rated for Safety?
The IIHS is an organization that’s highly accredited for providing accurate vehicle safety ratings.
To get these safety ratings, the IIHS performs real-life crash test scenarios and high-end safety system evaluations on a wide array of vehicles. Once the vehicles have been rated, the information gathered from the tests is then listed out in an easy-to-read format that IIHS refers to as their Top Saftey Pick Rating System.
Not only are these ratings informational and super beneficial for parents, but they also inspire manufacturers to create safer vehicles with enhanced safety features that protect both you and your vehicle.
What are the IIHS Safety Ratings?
To conduct thorough and accurate crash tests, the IIHS breaks them up into several components.
What are the Top 10 Safest Cars?
What are the Top Safety Picks in Every Major Category of Cars:
Car Size | Car Type |
|---|---|
Small cars | The 2020-21 Honda Insight 4-Door Sedan |
Midsize cars | 2020 Nissan Maxima 4- Door Sedan |
Midsize luxury cars | 2020 Lexus ES 350 4-Door Sedan |
Large cars | 2020 Kia Stinger 4-Door Hatchback |
Large luxury cars | 2020 Audi A6 4-Door Sedan |
Small SUVs | 2020 Mazda CX-3 4-Door SUV |
Midsize SUVs | 2020 Mazda CX-9 4-Door SUV |
Midsize luxury SUVs | 2020 Acura RDX 4-Door SUV |
Large SUVs | 2020 Audi Q8 4-Door SUV |
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Conclusion
Safety ratings are a necessary tool to help parents and consumers buy vehicles that will keep them and their families safe. Keep in mind when looking at a vehicle's safety ratings that you don't have to understand every single detail that's listed, but it's good to have general idea of what makes a vehicle safe. If you would like to view your car's safety ratings, visit the NHTSA or IIHS websites to see if your model is listed.
With two kids of my own, I’m passionate about child safety! I’m a research nerd who’s on a mission to make the world a safer place for kids – starting with car seats!
To contact me directly please click here.
This article is wonderful. I don’t know where else I could find a clearer article, maybe consumer reports. I will pass it on to friends for car shopping.
Thank you very much.