2008’s Safest Cars

Statistics have shown that travel by automobile is one of the most dangerous forms of transportation. Driving is one of those luxuries that we often take for granted. Most individuals are so busy doing other things while driving that they do not think much about the dangers that are surrounding them. It is for this reason that when it comes time to buy a new and or used car we should take that little extra precaution to arm ourselves against the hazards of the road. I’m talking hitting the pause button on this merry-go-round that we call life and taking a good hard look at vehicle safety. After all who doesn’t want to be behind the wheel of one of the safest cars?

When it comes to driving one of the safest cars - safety advancements have made cars safer than they have ever been and technology continues to make evolutionary contributions to the survivability of accidents. The truth is -- because of safety in cars standards and technology -- even vehicles with a relatively low safety ratings are safer than many cars built as little as 15 or 20 years ago.

Purchasing one the safest cars is not just about survivability in an accident. It is also about reliability, security, and all-weather capability. A car that leaves you stranded along side the road has put you in a very unsafe situation, especially if driving conditions are less than favorable. If you currently researching your next car purchase and purchasing one of the safest cars is paramount, you will find on our list a variety of vehicles that all rank highly in both overall safety and reliability. Keep in mind that our rating system averages several attributes to get a composite rating, so cars with excellent stand-alone safety ratings (i.e. Volvo) may not appear on the list.

Computing the Rankings
A total of 10 cars were selected for our safest cars list. Vehicles were chosen based primarily on safety ratings, safety features, reliability, available drive system, driving characteristics, and child friendliness. Vehicles on this list scored very well in collision testing and feature advanced safety features and equipment. Also taken into consideration were driving characteristics such as all-wheel-drive, ride height, view of the road, and the overall child friendly aspects of a vehicle. Child friendly vehicles tend to be safer vehicles because additional considerations have been made for the safety of child passengers.

Top 10 Safest Cars

1. 2008 Ford Taurus
2. 2008 Jeep Commander
3. 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
4. 2008 Lincoln Town Car
5. 2008 Infiniti FX
6. 2008 Honda Pilot
7. 2008 Mercury Sable
8. 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
9. 2008 Chrysler Town & Country
10. 2008 Toyota Highlander

Just Missed The Safest Cars Cut

11. 2008 Toyota Sienna
12. 2008 Chevrolet HHR
13. 2008 Honda Odyssey
14. 2008 Lincoln Mark LT
15. 2008 Chevrolet Suburban

Top Safest Cars by Type

Sedans & Coupes

1. 2008 Ford Taurus
2. 2008 Lincoln Town Car
3. 2008 Mercury Sable

Wagon/Utility

1. 2008 Chevrolet HHR
2. 2008 Honda Element
3. 2008 Subaru Forester

Sport Utility Vehicles

1. 2008 Jeep Commander
2. 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
3. 2008 Infiniti FX

Minivans

1. 2008 Chrysler Town & Country
2. 2008 Toyota Sienna
3. 2008 Honda Odyssey

Latest News Regarding "The Safest Cars"

New York Daily News

Testing agency announces safest cars of 2011 Admiral 2011's safest cars have been announced by safety testing agency Euro NCAP, with the likes of Audi, Chevrolet, Mercedes and Ford taking top honours. Euro NCAP say the awards are designed to "reflect the progress made, highlighting cars designed to ... Euro NCAP reveals 2011's safest carsAutoblog UK (blog) Euro NCAP lauds U.S. car safetyNew York Daily News Best in class cars revealed by EuroNCAPFleet News Online all 6 news articles »

Boulder study sheds light on bicycle, pedestrian accidents Daily Camera City officials recently completed the Safe Streets Boulder Report, an analysis of data from accidents involving vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians and skateboarders that paints one of the most comprehensive pictures to date of transportation safety in ... and more »

Safest Cars For 2012 Forbes We scoured crash test results and spec sheets to identify the vehicles that do the best job of protecting their occupants in a collision and offer the most advanced systems to help motorists avoid accidents in the first place. and more »

MariAn Gail Brown: When you're not in a car Ct Post If scientists study my mom's brain, it's a safe bet that they will find the New York City subway map etched within, revealing all the different train lines in all their color-coded glory. My mother knows how to get anywhere in the five boroughs by bus ...

Telegraph.co.uk

Euro NCAP names safest cars in class for 2011 CarAdvice By Tim Beissmann | February 01st, 2012 Euro NCAP has named its 'Best in Class Cars of 2011', rewarding five new cars for their impressive crash-test performances last year. All five cars were awarded the maximum five-star safety rating, and performed ... The safest cars on saleTelegraph.co.uk Euro NCAP reveals safest cars of 2011VerdictonCars EuroNCAP's safest cars in each categoryMSN Cars UK Honest John -3D Car Shows all 17 news articles »

Behold, this is the 'safest car in the world'. Yes, really Toronto Star CarBuzz.com The safest car in the world is a bizarre-looking little ride that is completely unusable. The abomination you see here is being billed as the world's safest car. More: The top 10 ugliest cars of the past 25 years More: Safety technologies ... and more »

Volvo S60 And V60 Get Five Star Safety Ratings In Europe And The United States PaddockTalk "It is very good news that our aim to offer customers the safest cars on the market is confirmed by several independent evaluations on different continents. However, this is just part of the complete picture of a car model's real life safety ... and more »

SAVE MONEY TO SAVE YOUR LIFE WITH SOME OF EUROPE'S SAFEST CARS AVAILABLE FROM ... 3D Car Shows Choosing a car to help keep your family as safe as possible is crucial, especially when it is icy outside! Luckily, Motorpoint enables customers to buy a car without compromising on safety with some of Euro NCAP's top five-star rated models available ...

School buses: Safest form of student travel Lewiston Sun Journal And, in all those vehicles traveling all those miles and carrying all those children, “students are nearly eight times safer riding in a school bus than with their own parents and guardians in cars,” according to the NHSA. More chilling is the fact ... and more »

JOE

Unlucky for some: Healy-Rae want's to avoid no.13 on new car registrations JOE ... drive cars carrying a number which is often thought to be unlucky.” Car dealers have already approached him with their concerns. Seriously though, are we that bad? It'll probably end up being the safest year in the history of the State. Oisin Collins. and more »