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I'm just curious about what is considered to be the safest automobile in the market today? I could see that issues about speed, price, environment friendliness, gas saving ability, durability, what have you about cars are thoroughly considered. I mean, I am aware that accidents do happen, but what about trying to point out here is most motorists "unknowingly" disregard the most vital component of traveling - safety. The ability of your trusted car to bring you to your destination, not only fast, but most importantly safe and sound. Just a question though. Hope you peeps could give me a primer on this.    

Firstly, I wouldn't say that safety is "knowingly disregarded" when considering the safety features that buyers demand.  If that were the case, we wouldn't have economy cars equipped with ABS, side chest and head curtain airbags front and rear, active whiplash protection, traction control, and stability control.  These are somewhat expensive, sophisticated systems that are available in just about any price/size category, not because they're mandatory, but because buyers are willing to pay for it.  

But I see your point.  Many take safety for granted, and I know a few perfectly sensible people whom I have had to CONVINCE to splurge for side airbags on their new cars in recent years.  

Picking the safest car is just about impossible, since pretty much any middle-economic-class American (or European) can afford a car that offers all of the above mentioned active and passive safety features.  

For a long time, Volvos were considered the safest cars around.  And for that time, it may have been true.  They had long front-ends that were specifically designed to crumple and absorb energy in a crash long before most car companies included similar designs into their cars.  They were also among the first to offer standard front airbags, ABS, and I'm pretty sure that the Volvo 850 was the first car to offer side airbags.  But now, everyone else has caught up, and while Volvos have all of the latest safety features, they aren't alone or on the cutting edge anymore.  And those huge hoods with equally huge crumple zones are gone, replaced with regular front-wheel-drive chassis with regular proportions.  

Luxury cars like Volvo, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc, are all available with the very latest active and passive safety features.  Active head restraints are headrests that pop up and forward in the event of a rear end collusion, preventing whiplash.  Stability control allows the braking computers to apply individual brakes to effectively "steer" the car in the direction the driver intends when the car exceeds its handling limits, even while accelerating.  Curtain airbags provide head-protection from side-impacts, which is a major deal since the brain is more likely to be damaged in a side-impact than a front-impact.  

But these features aren't exclusive to expensive cars.  The Hyundai Sonata, for example, has all of them as standard equipment for less than $20K.  So does the Toyota Camry, which also includes knee airbags.  

And aside from features, one of the most fundamental performance-driven engineering goals, body stiffness, is also a crucial part of safety.  Cars handle, ride, and and feel best when the body is ultra-stiff because the suspension engineers can then precisely calibrate shocks and springs to do their job without unwanted, unpredictable body flex.  in the past 10 years, cars bodies have gotten much, much stiffer because buyers' standards for ride quality, handling, and "solid feel" have gone way, way up.  As a result, the "safety cage" around the driver and passengers now provides an extremely survivable environtment in the event of a crash.  When crumple zones do their job absorbing energy in a crash, the hardened shell around the driver and passengers stops any further crumpling that might crush occupants, especially feet.  

So the ultimate safety factor becomes active safety.  Braking distance, handling and road-holding ability, and acceleration are some of the only safety factors that are truly different from car to car.  

A quick look at the back of a Motortrend or Road&track magazine will show braking distances from 60 and 70 MPH.  And often, a change of tires/tire size to a stickier/bigger tire on various family sedans will improve braking distances

Handling is trickier.  Some believe that safe handling lies in the car's predicability in extreme maneuvers.  Most drivers aren't skilled enough to handle a car that maximizes all 4 tires during handling because the rear tires may loose traction in a way that's unpredictable to the unskilled.  As a result, most cars, especially front wheeld rive cars tend to loose traction at the front wheels in a corner first, thus allowing the driver to simply slow down and regain control.  But cars that are better balanced and engineered for better handling allow the rear tires to do more work, and can often corner better, but will also fish-tale when taken beyond the limit.  Skilled drivers can utilize this for greater accident avoidance, and greater speed through corners, but the unskilled may be alarmed by this.  In all cases, however, a low center-of-gravity and communicative steering will allow drivers of any skill level to avoid an accident better.  Mazdas, Hondas, BMWs, Audis, Mercedes, and known for their handling abilities, as well as some Lexus' and infinities.  

Acceleration is probably the most underappreciated safety features.  Good acceleration offers yet another avenue of escape from a potential accident.  Not everyone needs a fast car, but very slow cars (increasingly rare these days) lack the available acceleration to escape from situations in which braking or handling won't be of any benefit.  

So what's the safest car?  who knows.  Features are plentiful, the way it drives makes a bigger difference.  

My personal advise on the matter is drive safely and hope that the driver in front and at the back of you do the same.  

Seriously, you can browse this study conducted by the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety. http://www.iihs.org/ratings/default.aspx Here's the summary:

TOP SAFETY PICK 2007 Award Winners

Large car
Audi A6
Subaru Legacy
with optional electronic stability control

Minivans
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona
Midsize SUVs
Acura RDX
Ford Edge
Honda Pilot
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Honda CR-V
Subaru Forester
with optional electronic stability control

Hope this helps.  

Any Honda hands down.

Civics, Accords, CRV's, Elements, for 20k or Less.

Pilots, Odysseys, Ridgelines for 25k or Less.

All Modles equiped with STANDARD

1. Side Airbags, Side Curtain Airbags (front and back)
2. Anti-lock Brakes
3. 4 wheel disc brakes
4. Side Impact door beams
5. ACE (advanced compatability engineering) body structure
6. Front and Rear Crumple Zones
7. 5 MPH Bumpers
8. 5 Star Crash Ratings for Front, Rear, and Side Impacts
9. Rollover cage with 4 star rating (highest given so far)
10. Traction Control or Vehicle Stability Assist

Hello!

All Standard on ANY model! Don't pay extra for safety packages or upgrades.

-Anthony Jr.