Five minivan models have been named top safety picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)—a distinction that means not only that those vehicles are among the safest on the road but also that their owners may qualify for
auto insurance discounts if their safety features result in better-than-average claims records, according to Online Auto Insurance (OAI).
The nonprofit research organization announced this week it has bestowed its top honor on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, Volkswagen Routan, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. Each of those vehicles earned top marks for its performance on front, side, rear and rollover crash protection.
The IIHS designation does not mean anyone who goes and buys one of the minivans is automatically eligible for lower premiums. But due to the fact that insurers typically weigh safety features and average claim costs when setting policy rates, having a vehicle that is equipped with features that protect occupants and keep damages to a minimum could help motorists obtain lower rates on coverage that pays for injuries suffered by the policyholder and his or her passengers.
OAI advises consumers to compare safety features as well as other vehicle information when shopping for a new car and to contact car insurance providers to ask about any available discounts.
Another thing that each of the top-rated vehicles has in common is electronic stability control (ESC), a safety innovation that uses computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to help motorists stay in command on slippery roads and in other potentially dangerous driving conditions.
Federal regulations stipulate that all 2012 model year cars must be equipped with ESC, and the feature has been a requirement for inclusion as an IIHS top pick for several years.
Safety officials predict that ESC systems will save as many as 9,600 lives and prevent more than 156,000 injuries every year once all vehicles are outfitted with the technology.
To learn more about this and other safety and coverage issues, readers can go to
http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/discounts/ where they will find informative resource pages and a helpful rate-comparison generator that can help them quickly evaluate their coverage options.
