Car Safety Features: What to Look For and How They Work

Lists of the “safest” cars go out of date quickly, because ratings and test standards change from one model year to the next. A better approach is to look up the exact vehicle you are considering.

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rates vehicles for frontal crash, side crash, and rollover. Look up a vehicle by year, make, and model at nhtsa.gov/ratings.

IIHS ratings.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, funded by auto insurers, runs its own crash tests and publishes awards such as Top Safety Pick. Check ratings and the specific tests passed at iihs.org/ratings.

Recalls.

Search by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for open safety recalls, and ask whether the repair was done.

Reported accidents and branded titles can reduce what buyers will pay.

When you compare vehicles, compare within the same size class. Ratings are most useful for comparing similar vehicles, and a larger, heavier vehicle often has an advantage in a crash with a smaller one. Also check the exact trim, since some safety features are standard on one trim and optional or unavailable on another.

Magazines and websites publish yearly lists of the best cars, best SUVs, and most exciting new models. They can be a useful starting point, but they usually weigh many things at once, such as performance, price, comfort, fuel economy, and predicted reliability, and safety may be only one part of the score. Before you rely on a list:

Safety features fall into two groups. Passive features protect you during a crash. Active and driver-assistance features help you avoid one.

Driver-assistance features add a layer of help, but they do not drive the car for you. Sensors and cameras can be limited by rain, snow, dirt, glare, faded lane lines, and sharp curves, and each manufacturer names and tunes its systems differently. Read the owner’s manual to learn what your system does, what it does not do, and how to turn features on or off.

Many of these features rely on cameras, radar, and sensors, which can be damaged in minor collisions and may need to be re-calibrated after repairs such as a windshield replacement or bumper work. Ask the shop what is needed, and see the protection plan section below for what a contract may or may not cover.

Safety features are only useful if the car has them. An older used car may lack features that are standard on newer models.

Our buying a used car checklist and test drive checklist walk through these steps in detail.

A safety feature cannot help if the parts it depends on are worn or ignored.

Tires.

Check pressure regularly and replace worn tires. Tire condition affects braking distance and stability.

Brakes.

Have them inspected on schedule, and do not ignore squealing, grinding, or a soft pedal.

Lights and wipers.

Replace burned-out bulbs and worn wiper blades so you can see and be seen.

Warning lights.

Do not ignore the brake, airbag, ABS, stability control, or tire pressure lights. Have the cause checked.

Recalls.

Check for open recalls at least once a year, and after you buy a used car.

Our car maintenance schedule covers what regular service typically includes.

Children need protection designed for their size. Car seat and seat belt laws vary by state, so check the rules where you live, and always follow the instructions that come with the car seat and your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

Back-over crashes involving young children are one reason rearview cameras are required on new vehicles. A camera helps, but walk around the vehicle and know where children are before you back up.

People often call a vehicle protection plan (VPP) or vehicle service contract (VSC) an “extended warranty,” but it is a contract, not a warranty. The contract states which repairs are covered and which are not, and it is the document that controls. In California, autopom! offers mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), which is a different legal product from a service contract.

Many safety features depend on sensors, cameras, and electronic parts. Whether a contract covers a particular component, and under what conditions, depends on that contract, so read what is covered and excluded before you buy. Availability depends on the vehicle’s year, make, model, mileage, eligibility requirements, and the state where it is located.

To see what is available for your vehicle, request a quote with its year, make, model, mileage, and state. For older vehicles, see our guide to an extended warranty for a used car.