Almost 1,200 people are hurt every day in traffic accidents in North America alone. A safe vehicle can reduce the risk of injury during an accident in a substantial way.
Some organizations perform simulated crash tests and offer results that show a specific vehicle’s safety rating. Any buyer can go ahead and find this information for him or herself.
Safecar.gov offers a grading system to determine the safety level of different car models manufactured since 1990. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA) is in charge of:
- Perform yearly frontal and lateral crash tests.
- Measure the protection that vehicles provide to the passengers.
- Evaluate the different protection mechanisms in each car such as airbags and seatbelts.
- Provide vast amounts of information regarding child seats.
Consumer Reports publishes the result of their simulated tests together with the vehicle’s characteristics. Taking into account the following points:
- Cars behavior during emergency situations.
- Braking system
- Acceleration
- Passenger comfort
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System allows consumers to put it the title number of any car to look at its history. A car’s history can show the following:
- The odometer state as of every owner change.
- Bullet points that indicate out if the car has been involved in a major accident or has suffered damage due to flooding or fire.
- If the car has been stolen.
And finally, to find out if a manufacturer has removed a vehicle from circulation due to malfunctions or recalls you can call NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
If a vehicle has been removed due to failure but you find it for sale you must request proof of the problem being fixed before purchasing.
We hope this article helps our customers make better decisions when buying a vehicle. Don’t forget that whether your are shipping a car in Canada or just driving around for pleasure, all precaution must be taken.