New technologies are rapidly advancing car safety.  However, not all vehicles incorporate the latest safety measures.  NCCC urges you to assess the overall safety of your next vehicle by paying attention to the following indicators:

Crash-test ratings: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts both full front and side impact tests on all vehicles and then scores each on a five-star scale.  The more stars, the safer the vehicle.  You can check the scores for all tested vehicles online at www.safercars.gov.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also conducts a series of crash tests.  In its frontal-offset crash, a vehicle is run into a deformable barrier, which simulates a car-to-car, driver's-side-to-driver's-side collision, which is a common form of a fatal crash.  By focusing the crash on only a portion of the car's front, this test severely stresses the car's structural integrity and its ability to protect the area around the driver.  The IIHS scores its frontal-crash results as Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor.  You can find ratings for all tested vehicles at the IIHS Web site, www.hwysafety.org.

Air bags: Every new passenger vehicle is equipped with dual front air bags.  Many newer cars have "smart" air-bag systems, which compute several variables in a crash, such as speed, crash severity, safety-belt use, and driver's position, and adjust the deployment of the bag to optimize safety to the occupants.  Some cars also have side air bags for front occupants and side torso airbags in the rear, which can dramatically decrease injury in a side collision.

Antilock brake system (ABS): An ABS system is highly recommended.  It prevents the wheels from locking up during a hard stop, allowing the driver to keep control of the vehicle.  ABS almost always provides shorter stops, but more importantly, the system helps keep the vehicle straight and allows the driver to maneuver during a panic stop.

Rollover resistance: NHTSA has developed a five-star rating system called the Rollover Resistance Rating (RRR), which is accessible online at www.safercars.gov.

Electronic stability control: ESC is designed to help keep the vehicle under control and on its intended path during cornering and prevent it from sliding or skidding.  If a vehicle begins to go out of control, the system selectively applies brakes and cuts engine power to keep the vehicle on its intended course.  NCCC recommends this safety feature.

Safety-belt features: Some vehicles still have only a lap belt, especially in the center-rear position, which allows the upper part of the body to move forward in a crash or panic stop.  Many vehicles include belt pretensioners and force limiters, which work with the air bags to protect you in a crash by keeping the occupant positioned for the air bag.  Force limiters relax the tension slightly following the initial impact, so they can help absorb some of a person's forward thrust.

Head restraints: Head restraints are important for guarding against the whiplash neck injuries.  Make sure your head restraint comes up at least to your ears and if your restraints adjust for height make sure that they lock in the raised position to avoid the risk of being forced down in a crash.

Child safety: Child-safety seats should be used until a child is big enough to use a vehicle's regular safety belt.  All new vehicles now have a universal system called LATCH that is designed to make attachment easier and more secure.  But your safety seat may not work equally well in all vehicles, so make sure to try before you buy.

Blind spots: Larger vehicles have larger blinds spots.  Some vehicles are now available with a video camera that allows for better visibility of the area behind a vehicle.  If you have poor visibility of the area behind a vehicle, you could be putting children and pets in harm's way.

Load capacity: It's natural to assume that if a vehicle has a large cargo area, you should be able to fill it without worry of overloading the vehicle.  But some vehicles have a large cargo area with a relatively low load-carrying capacity.  Overloading a vehicle can comprise safety by degrading its handling, stressing its brakes, and possibly overheating its tires.  Make sure to get a vehicle's load capacity and to keep your cargo below the threshold.