By 2030, road traffic injuries are predicted to become the fifth leading cause of death.
Can you believe over 37,000 people died in road accidents in 2017?
With improvements in vehicle safety, these statistics could change.
Manufacturers have committed to making vehicles safer than ever before. They are designing innovative protective features and creating preventative technologies to stop crashes altogether.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates vehicles from “poor” to “good” based on two aspects of safety. One is crashworthiness, which refers to how safe occupants are in the vehicle during a crash. Crashworthiness refers to the design of aspects such as a car’s front, sides, roof strength, head restraints and seats.
The other aspect is crash avoidance and mitigation. This refers to the technology that helps either prevent a crash or lessen its severity.
It’s time to invest in one of the safest new cars. Let’s review some of the safest cars on the most recent IIHS list.
10 Safest Cars on the Road in 2019
The following vehicles all received high “Top Safety Pick+” ratings from the IIHS. These are the best model choices within specific size categories.
Honda Insight
The 2019 Honda Insight received all “good” ratings in all IIHS crashworthiness aspects. It earned a “superior” rating for front crash prevention results.
The Insight has features like brake assist, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assist. This makes it an excellent option in the small cars category.
The Insight received family-friendly bonus points for having extra LATCH positions for child seats.
Hyundai Elantra
Another small car shining in the IIHS safety spotlight is the 2019 Hyundai Elantra.
The Elantra received similar ratings to the Insight. But it only got a “superior” rating for crash prevention with its optional equipment. You may need to spend a little extra to reap the safety benefits.
Subaru Legacy
The 2019 Subaru Legacy is the only midsize sedan option with standard all-wheel-drive equipment. This, combined with its impressive safety rating, makes it a tough vehicle to beat.
The Legacy received “good” ratings in all aspects, with a “superior” rating in front crash prevention.
Toyota Camry
Another midsize option is the 2019 Toyota Camry. It also received a “good” ratings in all categories with a “superior” in front crash prevention results.
The Camry has always had a reputation for being one of the safest, most reliable vehicles on the road. The 2019 model upholds that reputation.
Mazda CX-5
The 2019 Mazda CX-5 is a small SUV that offers impressive safety features such as smart city brake support and curve-adaptive headlights.
The CX-5 received all “good” ratings in crashworthiness. It has a “superior” rating in front crash prevention with optional equipment. The LATCH system only received an “acceptable” rating because the latches are positioned too deeply within the seat.
The headlights on the CX-5’s Grand Touring and Sport trim options are also highly rated.
Hyundai Kona
2019 is only the second model year for the Hyundai Kona. The Kona is a small SUV packing some serious safety features such as driver attention and blind-spot collision warnings.
The Kona received “good” in all crashworthiness categories, and “superior” in front crash prevention, but it received a “marginal” rating in child seat anchor ease of use. This rating is because the lower anchors are believed to be buried too deep in the seat.
The IIHS report noted that other hardware might be confused for an anchor, which could compromise the safety of the child. This may be of interest to you if you’re searching for a family vehicle.
Kia Sorento
The 2019 Kia Sorento is a midsize SUV that boasts a sensor that deploys side airbags in the event of a rollover.
The Sorento also offers a feature called “Forward Collision Avoidance with Pedestrian Detection,” which should put you at ease.
With all “good” ratings in crashworthiness and a stellar “superior” in front crash prevention, the Sorento is one of the safest family vehicles.
Subaru Ascent
The second Subaru on this list, the 2019 Subaru Ascent is a brand new midsize SUV.
Typical of a Subaru, the Ascent received all “good” and “superior” ratings in all aspects. It should be noted that the “good” headlight rating is only for the Limited and Touring trim options.
Many of the premium safety features come standard on the Ascent, which is a plus for consumers on a budget.
Acura RDX
What about safe luxury vehicles? You don’t have to compromise safety for style.
The 2019 Acura RDX received all “good” and “superior” ratings from the IIHS, with bonus points for extra LATCH child anchor positions. The vehicle offers users the ability to borrow lower child seat anchors from the other seating positions.
The RDX is all-new this year. It offers more safety options including parking sensors and driver assistance.
BMW X3
The midsize SUV 2019 BMW X3 received a rating of “good” in crashworthiness and “superior” in front crash prevention. But it only received a “marginal” rating for its child seat anchor system.
IIHS commented that the child seat anchors are located too deep in the seat, and they are hard for users to maneuver around.
What Should You Buy?
While the number one and number two most-wanted features buyers are seeking in a new car are a power driver’s seat and front heated seats, 90% of consumers rate safety features as “very” or “extremely” important.
The more safety features a vehicle is equipped with, the higher the chance is that you will survive an automobile accident. Protect yourself and your passengers by becoming familiar with the options that are available to you.
You can shop around for the safest cars, but the truth is that accidents still happen. Let’s say you’re in an accident in your new vehicle – what do you do next? You should reach out to an auto accident lawyer for a free consultation. Your attorney will help you build the strongest case in an auto accident lawsuit.