When choosing any vehicle, safety should always be one of the primary concerns. There is no need to prove the fact that vehicle accidents kill large numbers of people every year. This reality is, unfortunately, so commonly known that it requires no proof. With that in mind, it pays to try and get the safest car that you can afford. There are many ways in which to evaluate the safety value of a particular car, but it does pay to listen to the experts as well. With that in mind, let’s try to determine which vehicle is the safest car on the road this year.
Finding A Legitimate Source Of Information
The first problem is finding a legitimate and independent source for car safety information. Most vehicles will claim to be particularly safe, but it can be hard to tell if that is real or just advertising hype. Certainly, all of them must meet certain safety standards in order to be road-legal, but that’s not what we are seeking. We want to know which current-year vehicles are objectively the safest on the road.
To help with that, we turned to the website of an organization called the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). This is an independent scientific study group that focuses on vehicle safety. Along with their partner organization, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), they work with automakers and insurance companies to ensure better vehicle safety and greater accountability for those who fail to provide such.
Because this is the best independent source of vehicle safety information that we could find, their website will be the primary source for this article. There is another respected organization called the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which carries out most crash tests, but the IIHS-HLDI rankings take their findings into account.
What Makes A Vehicle Safe?
The safety of a vehicle is determined by its design and features. Those features can vary a lot, as most vehicle models offer more than one type. In general, safety features fall into one of two categories: Crashworthiness and mitigation. The term “Crashworthiness” describes the ability of a vehicle to withstand impact with minimal damage. Some cars are simply more durable than others, and a tougher vehicle will always give you a better chance of walking away from a collision. “crashworthiness” also includes things like the weight and balance of a vehicle, both of which make a difference as well.
Mitigation, on the other hand, includes features that are intended to prevent the crash from happening. This might include things like:
- Backup cameras
- Blind spot mirrors/cameras
- Automatic emergency braking
- Stability control systems
- Airbags
- Anti-Lock brakes
- Automatic safety belts
- Tire pressure sensors
- Collision detection systems
Basically, anything that will potentially help you to avoid an accident makes for a safe vehicle. However, it’s not just about the features. That is why every vehicle model undergoes extensive crash testing before it is put on the market. When crash tests are performed, all the various sections of the car are tested to determine how resistant to impact they might be. For instance, some vehicles might have very good forward crash protection while offering little protection on either side. In fact, vehicles like that have caused big problems in the past.
Safest Vehicles On The Road For 2022
According to the safety ratings of the IIHS, there is not one vehicle that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Instead, there is a list of vehicles in each category that have earned top marks in all categories. As such, these vehicles are probably about equally safe. There are over 100 vehicles on this top-rated list, but here are some of the standouts:
Small Cars
- Honda Civic 4-door sedan
- Honda Civic 4-door hatchback
- Honda Insight 4-door sedan
- Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan
- Kia Soul 4-door wagon
Midsize Cars
- Honda Accord 4-door sedan
- Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan
- Kia K5 4-door sedan
- Nissan Altima 4-door sedan
- Nissan Maxima 4-door sedan
Midsize Luxury Cars
- Acura TLX 4-door sedan
- Audi A4 4-door sedan
- Audi A4 Allroad 4-door wagon
- Audi A5 Sportback 4-door hatchback
- BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe 4-door sedan
Large Cars
- Kia Stinger 4-door hatchback
- Toyota Avalon 4-door sedan
- Volkswagen Arteon 4-door hatchback
Large Luxury Cars
- Audi A6 4-door sedan
- Audi A6 Allroad 4-door wagon
- Audi A7 4-door hatchback
Small SUVs
- Buick Encore GX 4-door SUV
- Chevrolet Trailblazer 4-door SUV
- Ford Bronco Sport 4-door SUV
Midsize SUVs
- Ford Edge 4-door SUV
- Ford Explorer 4-door SUV
- Ford Mustang Mach-E 4-door SUV
Midsize Luxury SUVs
- Acura MDX 4-door SUV
- Acura RDX 4-door SUV
- Audi Q5 4-door SUV
Large SUVs
- Audi E-Tron 4-door SUV
- Audi E-Tron Sportback 4-door SUV
- Audi Q8 4-door SUV
Minivans
- Chrysler Pacifica minivan
- Honda Odyssey minivan
- Kia Carnival minivan
Small Pickup Trucks
- Hyundai Santa Cruz crew cab pickup
Large Pickup Trucks
- Ford F-150 crew cab pickup
- Ford F-150 extended cab pickup
- Ram 1500 crew cab pickup
Conclusion
It always pays to seek out a car that offers a high safety rating, no matter what the advertisements might say. Of course, even if you choose one of the safest cars on the road, accidents can still happen. If that happens, you might find yourself in need of a good NJ body shop. When looking for auto body shops in South Jersey, your choice is not a difficult one. Just call us here at Elmer’s Auto Body at (856) 218-0202.