Information is provided to help determine which automobiles offer the most protection from injury and death during a frontal or side collision and to identify those vehicles most frequently stolen. For safety, don't forget to do a Lemon Check using our Lemon Check tool. In addition to causing grief and suffering, vehicle crashes add billions of dollars to the cost of health care and vehicle insurance. Each year, some 40,000 Americans lose their lives in motor vehicle collisions. Despite these grim statistics, the rate of traffic deaths per million miles driven is steadily declining.
Safer cars get partial credit for the encouraging trend.
Each new model must meet safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Though not yet required by law, features such as dual air bags increase a vehicle's sales appeal. Check crash testing at Auto Safety Hotline. Craft testing is expensive, so all vehicles cannot be tested every year. Cars, light trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans that are new, popular, redesigned or have improved safety equipment are selected for testing and bought from dealers.