How to Find the Safety Record of a Vehicle

A car accident can shatter your very life, and the difference between life or death can be the vehicle in which you have entrusted your life. Few things matter more than safety, and yet cars vary greatly in their records. Information about vehicle safety is available from a variety of sources, and the more you know, the more likely you will purchase a car that will make the difference you need.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can provide a great deal of information about the safety records of vehicles. Located online at http://www.nhtsa.gov, they provide much research about individual cars. They detail various recalls as well as defects. Their website is user friendly, and can provide a wealth of information.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration goes into details about specific aspects of cars such as brakes and safety features such as airbags. Various articles explain these features to consumers. You can learn about the safety features in general as well as how particular vehicles performed in crash tests.
Consumer Reports
Consumer powerhouse Consumer Reports is a powerful tool to learn about the safety records of cars. They have a variety of information on cars and perform their own crash tests. You will find information both in their written magazine as well as on their website at www.consumerreports.org. Much of the information is available by subscription only, but the nominal yearly fee is small as compared to the car safety information it can provide. They review specific cars and provide numbers on different metrics of safety.
Ask about the particular vehicle
When at the dealership, you can ask the salesperson about the particular cars in which you are interested. Of course, any information that they give you must be taken with the proverbial grain of salt as they have an incentive to sell you the car. They may also not be knowledgeable about the safety record. Still, it does not hurt to ask, especially if you have a salesperson with whom you have a relationship or whom you trust.
Have your mechanic view the vehicle
If you are purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, and want to learn about anything that may compromise the safety of that particular vehicle. You can ask if your own mechanic can look at the vehicle. They can often tell if it has been in an accident that may affect its future safety. They may be able to read other information about the history of the vehicle, which could be valuable in deciding how safe it is.
The safety record of a vehicle, both as a model and as an individual car is of great importance. It can even save your life. Do as much research as you can to find the car that is safe for you and your family.