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Automobile Safety
Automobile manufacturers have come a long way since the era when it was acceptable for cars not to come equipped with seatbelts, and steering wheels had fancy ornaments that could potentially spear the driver in a crash. In the present day, front and side impact airbags, ABS brakes, stability control systems, and other technological perks have made vehicles safer than they’ve ever been.
When it comes to vehicle safety, the cream rises to the top, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has selected 34 automobiles worthy of their 2008 Top Safety Pick Award. This honor pays homage to the vehicles which perform the best on front, side, and rear crash tests. Award winners must also be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC), which has been proven to lower the risk of crashing.
Front and side impact are the most frequent forms of deadly crashes; out of 31,000 passengers who were killed in 2005, close to 25,000 of those were involved in front and side collisions. Rear impact is rarely fatal, but it can be blamed for many of the chronic injuries associated with car accidents such as back and neck problems caused by whiplash. In 2002, approximately 60 percent of insurance injury claims stated slight neck sprains and strains.
Looking back on this past year, auto manufacturers have almost tripled the amount of vehicles that make the cut of Top Safety Pick. At the start of the 2007 model year, only 13 vehicles met the criteria. However, carmakers made a concerted effort throughout the year to go back to the drawing board and released ten vehicles with more secure designs. An additional 11 vehicles are honorees for 2008. Here are the winners broken down by category:
- Safest large cars
- Audi A6
- Ford Taurus w/ ESC
- Mercury Sable w/ optional ESC
- Volvo S80
- Safest midsize cars
- Audi A3
- Audi A4
- Honda Accord
- Saab 93
- Subaru Legacy w/ optional ESC
- Safest midsize convertibles
- Saab 93
- Volvo C70
- Safest small car
- Subaru Impreza w/ optional ESC
- Safest minivans
- Honda Odyssey
- Hyundai Entourage
- Kia Sedona
- Safest midsize SUVs
- Acura MDX
- Acura RDX
- BMW X3
- BMW X5
- Ford Edge
- Taurus X
- Honda Pilot
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Hyundai Veracruz (manufactured after August 2007)
- Lincoln MKX
- Mercedes M Class
- Saturn VUE (manufactured after December 2007)
- Subaru Tribeca
- Toyota Highlander
- Volvo XC90
- Safest small SUVs
- Honda CR-V
- Honda Element
- Subaru Forester w/ optional ESC
- Safest large pickup
- Toyota Tundra
The 2008 model year showcases the most diverse group of vehicles ever offered at once that will provide superior protection to occupants during common types of crashes.