With so many vehicles on the road, especially this time of year, safety is and should always remain your top priority. Seatbelts should always be worn no matter what seat you find yourself in. Properly installed car seats should always be used for children. And remaining undistracted should always be a top priority of anyone behind the wheel. However, even if you take all the necessary precautions, accidents are still a reality.
With that in mind, it’s great to see automakers finally coming to the understanding that safety is one of the most important factors when it comes to manufacturing vehicles. Fifteen cars and SUVs have earned the highest honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) most recently despite stiffened requirements for 2018. Following the first round of ratings by the IIHS, 12 cars and three SUVs received the organization’s “Top Safety Pick Plus” after better headlights and new standards on crash tests were implemented. Another 47 vehicles earned “Top Safety Pick” honors. The IIHS has not yet reviewed all car and SUV models, but both lists are likely to grow as the IIHS updates its ranking throughout 2018.
However, even automakers make significant strides in safety improvements, more people continue to die on our roads. For the second consecutive year in 2016, car crash deaths spiked to a nine-year high of 37,461 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Overall, Toyota led the industry on the “Top Safety Pick Plus” and “Top Safety Pick” lists followed by Hyundai and Subaru.
The full list includes:
IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus
Small cars
Kia Forte (sedan only)
Kia Soul
Subaru Impreza
Subaru WRX
Midsize cars
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry
Large luxury cars
BMW 5 series
Genesis G80
Genesis G90
Lincoln Continental
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (sedan only)
Midsize SUVs
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Midsize Luxury SUVs
Mercedes-Benz GLC
Top Safety Pick
Small cars
Chevrolet Volt
Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid
Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Elantra GT
Mazda 3
Subaru Crosstrek
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius Prime
Midsize cars
Honda Accord
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Midsize luxury cars
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Audi A3
Audi A4
BMW 3 series (sedan only)
Lexus ES
Lexus IS
Volvo S60
Volvo V60
Large cars
Kia Cadenza
Toyota Avalon
Small SUVs
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Mazda CX-3
Mazda CX-5
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Midsize SUVs
Honda Pilot
Kia Sorento
Mazda CX-9
Toyota Highlander
Midsize luxury SUVs
Acura MDX
Acura RDX
Buick Envision
Lexus NX
Lexus RX
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
Volvo XC60
Minivans
Chrysler Pacifica
Honda Odyssey
Large pickup
Honda Ridgeline
If you or someone you care about has been injured or involved in a car or truck accident, contact the personal injury and accident attorneys at Weinstein & Cohen at 239-793-3331 or visit fairnessforall for an absolutely free and confidential legal consultation to learn more about your options.
