Safety First

When it comes to deciding what kind of vehicle to buy, a vehicle’s safety is at the top of the list. While some might prefer a car to a truck, or an SUV to a van, nearly everyone would like the peace of mind of knowing that their vehicle is not only reliable, but safe as well.

The Bells and Whistles

Vehicles are equipped with a number of safety features today.  Many manufacturers are now equipping vehicles with a type of electronic stability control program as standard equipment. An extended version of the anti-lock brake system, the electronic stability control helps return your vehicle to its intended line of travel if the driver veers off course. While this program cannot prevent all accidents from occurring, it has significantly reduced the risk of rollover crashes and single vehicle fatalities since its inception.

Big Vs Small

Another factor to consider when determining the safety of a vehicle is vehicle size and weight. Smaller vehicles usually offer less protection to its passengers than a heavier or larger vehicle. When weighing your options about the size of your vehicle, keep this in mind: the larger your vehicle is, the more damage it can cause to another vehicle especially if it is smaller or lighter than yours. While there are exceptions to this rule, the majority of tests show that passengers are more likely to be hurt or killed in a crash when occupying a smaller or lighter vehicle..

Do the Research

After narrowing down your search to a few vehicles, the next step is to check each vehicle’s crash testing results to see which of your choices offers the best in frontal impact support, side crashworthiness and rear crashworthiness. These reports can be found online, but your vehicle dealer should also be able to provide you with this information.

Once you decide which vehicle best suits your safety needs, give your Alfa Insurance® agent a call to discuss protecting your new vehicle.