2019-IIHS-Ranks-910Collision avoidance vehicle technology reduces the rates of injury crashes by 21 percent, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Choosing a vehicle with adequate security features could save your life. But with every carmaker touting the safety features of their vehicle, finding a vehicle that stands out can be a daunting task. The IIHS, one of America's top authorities on car safety, identifies vehicles with remarkable safety features and honors them with a Top Safety Pick+ Award. For the 2019 model year, although a total of 30 vehicles got the prestigious award, only two are available to ordinary buyers.

The IIHS and Safety

A total of 57 vehicles earned the 2019 safety award, with just 30 notching the top 2019 Top Safety Pick+ award. The IIHS uses strict criteria to gauge a vehicle's safety features. All the 57 vehicles that earned an award passed crashworthiness tests and were required to have superior automatic emergency braking systems. The Top Safety Pick+ honoree must have "good" headlights in addition to the other features required for the Top Safety Pick award. Choosing a vehicle with safety features is a good first step in staying safe on the road. Drivers also need to maintain safe driving habits to reduce the chances of accidents. However, should you be involved in an accident, an auto insurance policy can help to cover hospital bills in case of injury arising from an auto accident.

2019 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Winners

The list of 2019 Top Safety Pick+ winners contains a diverse array of vehicles but is it is dominated by vehicles by Japanese and Korean carmakers. In fact, only one vehicle made by a U.S. automaker, the Chrysler Pacifica, made it to the Top Safety Pick list. All seven popular Subaru models made this year's list as did the Kia Optima, Toyota Camry, Lexus ES, and the Hyundai Elantra. Large vehicles on the list include the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Acura RDX, BMW X3, Toyota Avalon, and Hyundai Santa Fe.

Identifying the True Winners

However, mentioning that 30 vehicles made the cut for the Top Safety Pick+ is a bit misleading since IIHS was forced to use vehicle trims with optional upgrades for most of the vehicles on the list to qualify for the award. Most entry-level trims would not get the award mostly because of inferior headlights. An analysis of the 2019 Top Safety Pick+ award winners reveals that only two vehicles earn the award regardless of trim and without the need to buy optional equipment: the Honda Insight and the luxury Genesis G90.

Safety weighs on many car buyers' minds when shopping for a vehicle and the IIHS attempts to identify the vehicles that stand out in this department. However, although 30 vehicles received the organization's prestigious 2019 Top Safety Pick+ award, only two would qualify for the award without buying an expensive trim or fitting optional upgrades. Therefore, although the IIHS safety award can point buyers in the right direction, you should examine the fine print to identify the vehicles that really have the features you want.