If you’re a typical car shopper, the safety of the vehicle you choose is highly important to you. Although every new vehicle is required to meet certain federal safety standards, that doesn’t mean that all cars are equally safe.

 Moreover, it does not mean that all vehicles are rated by insurance companies to offer you the best insurance policy for your money. A vehicle’s safety ratings impact insurance rates, and each car model’s experience in terms of insurance losses is different. You can see a list of insurance losses by make and model to get a good idea of the insurance claim experience of the vehicles you are shopping for.

You will want to consider the following safety features if you’re in the market for a vehicle:

Crashworthiness

You can get a rating of crashworthiness for vehicles that interest you from the Web site for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety . While there, check out the current year’s Top Safety Picks to find a list of the safest vehicles based on the IIHS crash studies. You’ll find that more smaller vehicles than ever before have made the List.

Vehicle structural design

In order to well protect the passengers of a vehicle, it must have a strong “safety cage” (the interior compartment where occupants are seated) to withstand forces from the front, the back, both sides and the roof. It must also be designed so that both the front and rear of the vehicle absorbs the impact of a crash, deflecting it away from the safety cage. Find out how these strengths are tested by the IIHS.

Vehicle size and weight

Seatbelts, head restraints and airbags work as a system with the structure of a vehicle to protect its occupants if a crash occurs. Shoulder belts allow upper body movement during normal driving but will lock on impact or during hard braking. Lap/shoulder belts work together with airbags very effectively.. Side airbags are designed principally to protect your upper body, and may also prevent your head from hitting interior structures. Head restraints are required to be installed on the front seats of all new passenger cars to prevent your head from snapping backwards in a rear-end crash.

Anti-lock brakes

Anti-lock brakes pump brakes automatically many times a second to prevent the lockup and loss of control that occurs when braking hard with conventional brakes.

Daytime running lights
These lights can prevent daytime accidents by making the vehicle more visible to oncoming driver.

If you are in the market for a new car, consider sitting down with your insurance agent to discuss how your favorite makes and models might impact the insurance rates you’ll pay before you sign that purchase agreement at the dealership.

Here at Daniel Howley Insurance Agency in Rockville, MD, we have the experience to help you explore your auto insurance options at your convenience. Why not contact us today?

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS); Insurance Information Institute (III)