Buying a Safer Car

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a terrific website (www.safercar.gov) where you can find a wealth of information on various topics including "Buying a Safer Car," vehicle defects and recalls, crash test and rollover ratings and other safe driving resources.

Many vehicles surpass the minimum Federal standards for crash protection. However, it is always smart to properly research the safety ratings of the vehicle you are about to buy or lease. Here are some important questions to ask when looking to buy or lease a car:

• Does the vehicle have electronic stability control (ESC)?
• Does the vehicle have side air bag (SAB) technology to protect your head and thorax?
• What is the probability that the vehicle will roll over in a single-vehicle crash?
• What are the advanced safety features of the vehicle?

The NHTSA conducts vehicle crash tests to determine the amount of protection each vehicle provides for its drivers. Tests include side impact crashes, fontal impact crashes and single-vehicle rollover accidents. The NHTSA tests new cars, light trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and other popular models of cars. Each vehicle is reviewed based on a 5-star system. Rollover tests, frontal and side crash tests are all rated on a different system.

You can learn more about these ratings and ratings for specific 2010 vehicles in "Buying a Safer Car 2010." Also, you can compare ratings of vehicles from different weight classes. Keep in mind, just because a vehicle receives 5 stars, it does not fully protect you from getting killed or seriously injured in a car accident. So wear your seatbelt!