Safest Family Cars + more : )
#1
07-30-2007, 06:58 AM
Safest Family Cars + more : )
[align=center]Safest Family Cars
See Safest Cars Rated from NHTSA and IIHS
Story Highlights[/align][*][align=center]
•Crossover SUVs Still Not Safest Vehicles. [/align][*][align=center]
• Sedans in Top Two Categories for Family Safety. [/align][*][align=center]
• Multiple American Sedans Win Top Ratings. [/align][*][align=center]
• Side Airbags and ESC New Musts For Family Safety.
For years now, throughout the country, there has been this increasing rush to judgment; the absolutely undeniable, inbuilt, positive self-conviction or justification that when it comes to vehicle safety, that SUVs were the, er, overriding wheels of choice and, further, that the overwhelmingly bigger the SUV the better. "It isn't for me, it's for the kids," one spouse would coyly intimate to the other, "It's for the kids, their safety you know ..." Not to mention, literally not to mention, that size also does seem to count when showing off the new high iron to the girls at the country club or the guys at the bowling alley.
Well, Mom and Dad, sorry to brake a flat spot on your wheels-within-wheels choices but the safety lobby, those crash and burn-your-butts folk continue to report, in annually increasing volume, that SUVs are not safer vehicles at all. Sort of the bigger they are, the harder they fail.
SUVs IN TRANSITION
Since the days when all "utility vehicles" were built body-on-frame, SUVs have been considered "trucks" and even though many have gone to "crossover" car uni-bodies, they still don't have to meet all of the U.S Government's regulations for passenger car safety. Their high centers of gravity have led to a grisly, increasing epidemic of fatal rollover crashes, their rear blind spots have resulted in scores of small children being backed over, and their uber-tank gross (sic) weights and dimensions generally cause, excuse the pun, absolute carnage to both the SUV occupants and in tragic comparison, mostly the other guys in smaller, lighter vehicles. No room, or time for the staggering stats here but you could look it up, on the NHTSA and IIHS web sites. You could also look up what extra fees SUV drivers are paying in fuel, insurance, registration, taxes, etc.; money -- that should stick in the craw instead of being stuck in the pocket with another type of vehicle.WHAT'S A FAMILY TO DO?
[:@]Despite the odds-against of emerging unscathed from the teeming traffic, the drunks, the cell phone, laptop and lipstick abusers, the hopped-up (individual, vehicle or both) teenage terrors like `Space, the doddering dodos and the muscleheads in muscle cars, we are all parts of a constantly moving, mobile society and must go play in traffic, must go with the flow to get to work, shopping and school.
First a family could pick a vehicle as though it is a matter of life or death, which it is. Next, they should consider a vehicle that can transport goods (and bads) with a reasonable amount of room and comfort, provide good reliability, low maintenance and operational costs. In addition, as a bonus, but not a necessity, one with a certain amount of bragging (not dragging) rights for style, prestige or, a category that is coming up fast, a certain level of anti-gas (liquid and vapor) functionality.
Although crash tests results can change year-to-year, a detailed study of current IIHS and NHTSA crash reports on new vehiclesnot counting minivans, a special category which will be covered in upcoming articles -- seem to highlight the vehicle that made this nation -- or at least its auto industry -- great; the wonder workhorse, the all-weather, all-purpose, all-American (well, in most cases, some percentage American) all-dependable old grey mare, the 4-door sedan.
[color=#0000cc][size=5]IIHS Top Safety Pick: Family Cars
See Safest Cars Rated from NHTSA and IIHS
Story Highlights[/align][*][align=center]
•Crossover SUVs Still Not Safest Vehicles. [/align][*][align=center]
• Sedans in Top Two Categories for Family Safety. [/align][*][align=center]
• Multiple American Sedans Win Top Ratings. [/align][*][align=center]
• Side Airbags and ESC New Musts For Family Safety.
For years now, throughout the country, there has been this increasing rush to judgment; the absolutely undeniable, inbuilt, positive self-conviction or justification that when it comes to vehicle safety, that SUVs were the, er, overriding wheels of choice and, further, that the overwhelmingly bigger the SUV the better. "It isn't for me, it's for the kids," one spouse would coyly intimate to the other, "It's for the kids, their safety you know ..." Not to mention, literally not to mention, that size also does seem to count when showing off the new high iron to the girls at the country club or the guys at the bowling alley.
Well, Mom and Dad, sorry to brake a flat spot on your wheels-within-wheels choices but the safety lobby, those crash and burn-your-butts folk continue to report, in annually increasing volume, that SUVs are not safer vehicles at all. Sort of the bigger they are, the harder they fail.
SUVs IN TRANSITION
Since the days when all "utility vehicles" were built body-on-frame, SUVs have been considered "trucks" and even though many have gone to "crossover" car uni-bodies, they still don't have to meet all of the U.S Government's regulations for passenger car safety. Their high centers of gravity have led to a grisly, increasing epidemic of fatal rollover crashes, their rear blind spots have resulted in scores of small children being backed over, and their uber-tank gross (sic) weights and dimensions generally cause, excuse the pun, absolute carnage to both the SUV occupants and in tragic comparison, mostly the other guys in smaller, lighter vehicles. No room, or time for the staggering stats here but you could look it up, on the NHTSA and IIHS web sites. You could also look up what extra fees SUV drivers are paying in fuel, insurance, registration, taxes, etc.; money -- that should stick in the craw instead of being stuck in the pocket with another type of vehicle.WHAT'S A FAMILY TO DO?
[:@]Despite the odds-against of emerging unscathed from the teeming traffic, the drunks, the cell phone, laptop and lipstick abusers, the hopped-up (individual, vehicle or both) teenage terrors like `Space, the doddering dodos and the muscleheads in muscle cars, we are all parts of a constantly moving, mobile society and must go play in traffic, must go with the flow to get to work, shopping and school.
First a family could pick a vehicle as though it is a matter of life or death, which it is. Next, they should consider a vehicle that can transport goods (and bads) with a reasonable amount of room and comfort, provide good reliability, low maintenance and operational costs. In addition, as a bonus, but not a necessity, one with a certain amount of bragging (not dragging) rights for style, prestige or, a category that is coming up fast, a certain level of anti-gas (liquid and vapor) functionality.
Although crash tests results can change year-to-year, a detailed study of current IIHS and NHTSA crash reports on new vehiclesnot counting minivans, a special category which will be covered in upcoming articles -- seem to highlight the vehicle that made this nation -- or at least its auto industry -- great; the wonder workhorse, the all-weather, all-purpose, all-American (well, in most cases, some percentage American) all-dependable old grey mare, the 4-door sedan.
[color=#0000cc][size=5]IIHS Top Safety Pick: Family Cars
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