Smart Car Receives High Safety Ratings From IIHS

By now, most of us living in the Long Island area have seen these cute little Smart Cars, which I'm sure will soon become the mode of transportation du jour for the college-age set. They seat two and are lighter in weight than the Mini-Cooper. Of course, with a car so small (it's actually designated as a microcar) the first question that comes to mind is 'how safe can this car possibly be if I get into an accident'?

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety recently tested the 2008 Smart ForTwo for its ability to protect drivers in front and side crashes. The Institute's test results generally demonstrate how well vehicles stack up against others of similar size and weight. The Fortwo, which is reported to be the smallest car for sale in the US market, earned the top rating of good for front and side crash protection. Its seat/head restraints earned the second highest rating of acceptable for protection against whiplash in rear impacts. Read the entire story from IIHS Here

Important to note is that the car was not crashed into heavier cars, SUV's and minivans, which continue to dominate the LIE. When you stack the possibility of injury in one against the other, the beasts of the road will most surely win out.