The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crashes vehicles head-on into a wall and bashes them broadside to test their ability to protect their occupants. NHTSA focuses on evaluating vehicle restraints such as air bags and safety belts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performs a different test that uses offset-frontal car crashes to assess the protection provided by a vehicle’s structure.

Consumer Reports' auto issue rates vehicles in terms of overall safety. Its safety score combines crash test results with a vehicle’s accident avoidance factors, such as: emergency handling, braking, acceleration, and even driver comfort