Buy the largest car you can afford that meets your needs. In general, larger and heavier cars provide more protection than smaller and lighter cars. Buy a vehicle with as many airbags as you can afford, despite some negative headlines. Front airbags have saved thousands of lives. Side airbags prevent injuries to the chest and head in side-impact collisions.
Test drive the car.
Sit in the drivers seat and evaluate if you can you sit comfortably 10 inches from the steering column and use foot controls. Once you buy the car, read the manuals. Owners defeat the benefits of anti-lock brakes and other safety features by not learning how to use them properly. Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's web site for tons of safety information. Why pay more than 5 cents a minute for long distance.