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The Safest Cars of 2008

Many factors determine the price and amount of auto insurance coverage you will need for your vehicle. Factors like age, sex, driver's history, location, and type of vehicle all contribute in the calculation of your costs and coverage. For example, mature drivers are generally considered safer on the road than teenagers are and are therefore rewarded with lower rates. The same logic applies to sex. Female drivers are statistically safer and less aggressive and as a result are given lower rates. Lower rates are also given to those drivers whom live in less-populated areas and those with a clean driving history. When it comes to calculating insurance costs on a specific make and model of car, there is one simple rule: safer is better! Each year, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) puts a variety of cars, trucks, and minivans through a series of tests. These tests determine a car's ability to handle a collision as well as the amount of damage resulting from each crash test. However, to even be considered a safe car, a car must possess Electronic Stability Control or (ESC). This revolutionary safety device is as important as seatbelts and air bags and can mean the difference between life and death. Some of these tests performed by the IIHS include:

• 40-mph frontal offset crash tests - This test helps to determine the structural capabilities of a car. Since 1995, the IIHS has been using this test in addition to a traditional head on crash test to test the level at which a vehicle can withstand a collision.
• Side impact crash tests - These tests help to determine the amount of damage that will occur when a vehicle is struck in the side. This collision usually occurs when a larger vehicle such as an SUV or pickup truck collides with a smaller vehicle. In fact, side impact deaths from a larger vehicle striking a smaller size car continue to rise. Since 1980-81, the number of deaths has risen by 30% where as front impact deaths continue to decline thanks to improvements in seatbelt usage, airbags, and structural design.
• Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings - This test is designed to determine how well the combination of head/seat restraints will help prevent whiplash. This test, based on the geometry of the head in relation to the head/seat restraint is given ratings such as good, acceptable, marginal, and poor and has been conducted since 1995. Once all of the vehicles have been tested, the scores are calculated and the winners from each category are announced. In 2008, the winners are:
• Large Cars - Audi A6, Cadillac CTS, Ford Taurus (with optional Electronic Stability Control), Mercury Sable (with optional Electronic Stability Control), Volvo S80
• Midsize Cars - Audi A3, Audi A4, Honda Accord (4-door models), Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy (with optional Electronic Stability Control)
• Midsize Convertibles - Saab 9-3, Volvo C-70
• Small Car - Subaru Impreza (with optional Electronic Stability Control)
• Minivans - Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Entourage. Kia Sedona
• Midsize SUVs - Acura MDX, Acura RDX, BMW X3, BMW X5, Ford Edge, Ford Taurus X, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Veracruz (built after 1997), Infiniti EX35, Lincoln MKX, Mercedes M Class, Nissan Murano, Saturn VUE (built after December 2007), Subaru Tribeca, Toyota Highlander, Volvo XC90
• Small SUVs - Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Subaru Forester (with optional Electronic Stability Control),
• Large Pickup - Toyota Tundra

Is your dream vehicle on this list? If not, maybe it's time to reconsider your future purchase. Remember that safe cars will not only help to protect your life, but will also help protect and save the lives of your passengers as well as the lives of the other drivers on the road. Take the time to consider your purchase. Get a price quote from each of your favorite vehicle choices, and then decide if the risks and price outweigh the rewards of an unsafe car. Buy smart, and drive safe!