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The Seven Safest Cars on the Road

The Seven Safest Cars on the Road

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has compared top safety ratings of the new cars being distributed to dealerships across the United States and updated ratings for vehicles from 2018.

The IIHS indicates which vehicles are best for avoiding a crash and also conducts crash tests to measure how well a vehicle protects its occupants in the event of an accident.

In order to score a "top safety pick" rating, cars must do well in front, side and rollover crash tests. If vehicles have effective crash avoidance equipment and headlights, the institute awards them with its "highest top safety pick plus" ranking.

After the IIHS established a correlation between good headlights and avoiding accidents, the ranking of headlights as a crucial factor in crash avoidance has been included in the report in recent years.

Below are seven of the "top safety pick" and "top safety pick plus" vehicles:

2018 Hyundai Kona

Hyundai’s Kona moved up to top ratings by responding to a problem in the IIHS tests. Headlights on the 2018 Kona initially were rated poor, then Hyundai switched to better headlights that limited glare to oncoming cars. The Kona is now rated a top safety pick plus.

2018 Nissan Kicks

The Kicks earned strong crash-test results and a superior rating on its collision-avoidance system. The headlights on its most expensive versions earned an acceptable rating.

2018 Nissan Sentra

The Sentra also qualifies as a top safety pick. It features headlights and a collision avoidance system like those on the Nissan Kicks.

2019 Honda Insight

Discontinued by Honda after 2014, it is back as a 2019 model that earns a top safety pick plus rating. The collision avoidance system and headlights that figure in this rating are standard equipment, unlike other vehicles.

2019 Honda Pilot

The Pilot, updated for 2019, has standard top-rated headlights and collision avoidance system. It also earns a top safety pick plus rating.

2019 Acura RDX

Redesigned for 2019, the RDX earned a top safety pick plus rating. Due to its adept handling, comfortable seats and plethora of tech features, the compact SUV wins praise from reviewers

2019 Toyota Avalon

The Avalon, completely redesigned for 2019, earned a top safety pick plus rating. Reviewers at U.S. News rated the Avalon as the top large car due to its upscale interior, smooth ride and driver-assistance features like its front-crash avoidance functionality.

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The Eight Best Vehicles for Car Seats

The Eight Best Vehicles for Car Seats

A recent survey published by Cars.com revealed which automobiles earned a perfect score on the website’s Car Seat Safety Checks test.

Vehicles were tested by hands-on experts who evaluated each car’s latch system and overall ease of use. An infant seat, rear-facing convertible seat, forward-facing convertible seat, and booster seats were all installed in the cars and given a grade ranging from A through F, evaluating how it fits in with 2018 and 2019 car models.

"Parents often spend a lot of time determining the right car seat for their children but overlook how that seat will actually fit in their car,” said Cars.com editor-in-chief, Jennifer Newman.

Newman is also a certified child passenger safety technician. She noted that out of 85 vehicles tested this year, only 9 percent earned perfect scores.

This year, vehicles from six different brands earned perfect scores. Toyota earned three perfect scores with its Camry, 4Runner and Lexus ES 350 models.

Below are the eight cars that earned perfect scores in the Cars.com annual Car Seat Safety Check test.

2018 Genesis G90

Latch anchors have easy access to the large backseats.

2018 Hyundai Sonata

“Roomy” back seats according to Cars.com.

 2019 Jeep Cherokee

Rear-facing infant and convertible car seats fit well in 40.3 inches of legroom.

 2019 Lexus ES 350

The 2019 version of ES 350 earned an A for booster seat fit, compared to the 2017 ES 350's C grade.

2018 Lincoln Continental

Cars.com said car seats "fit like a dream" in this Lincoln.

2018 Subaru Impreza

36.5 inches of legroom in the back seat even though it is a compact car.

 2018 Toyota Camry

"Easy-access lower latch anchors" that make a difference in car seat installations, according to Cars.com.

2018 Toyota 4Runner

Spacious interior makes it optimal for all car seat accommodations.

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Safety Essentials to Keep In Your Car This Winter

Safety Essentials to Keep In Your Car This Winter

A bitter winter is in full swing and the United States has already experienced major storms.  In fact, we had to close our office for only the second time in 10 years! The roads were just too bad to risk our employees coming into work.  Make sure you and your ride are prepared for the weather change by keeping these winter safety essentials handy.

Portable battery charger

If you need to make a call for help or double check your GPS, a portable battery charger for your cell phone will always be a good idea.  If your car battery dies – just keep in mind your in-car chargers won’t work!

Flashlight

Winter months mean shorter days and a lot less sunlight. If you get stuck on the side of the road, it’s important to have a source of continuous light to warn oncoming traffic or flag down help.  Don’t just rely on your cellphone flashlight app!

Road flares/small traffic cone

If you have an accident on an icy road, you’ll want to warn others to slow down, not only to keep you safe but to prevent them from losing control on the same stretch of road that you did.

Jumper cables

A must-have in case your battery dies or if a stranger on the road needs a quick jump.

Box cutter/emergency escape tool

In the worst possible scenario, having something that can quickly cut a seat belt or bust open a window could potentially save a life.

Blankets

There is nothing worse than having car trouble, but having it in the winter without a source of heat can be downright awful. Keep extra blankets in your trunk in case you need to stay warm.

First aid kit

It’s always a great idea to keep a first aid kit in your car, but it’s especially important to have in the winter when snow and ice can cause scrapes and cuts in the blink of an eye.

Shovel

A versatile, compact shovel can literally dig you out of any tough situation.

Rock salt or sand

If all you need is something to give you some traction to get you out of a snow bank, rock salt or sand will do. Even kitty litter can help you out in a pinch.

Nonperishable food

Granola bars, beef jerky, and mixed nuts not only are a great source of protein but can you full in case of stand-still traffic due to an accident.

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