Sponsored article. Unless you live right in the city centre having a car is a must when you have children. Suddenly instead of checking out vehicles for speed and style you are looking looking at how much boot space they have and which car has the best safety ratings. There are lots of things to think about when choosing a safe family car, but remember if you are buying a used car it’s not just the model you need to think about, it’s worth checking out the car’s history too. Sites like www.carvertical.com/gb can help you check the car’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) to identify if there are any recorded problems or history you need to know before buying the car.

What To Consider When Choosing the Safest Family Car For Kids

Car Seat Compatibility

The best way for a child to be safe in a car is for them always to be securely strapped into a properly installed car seat (aka child restraint system). Not all car seats are suitable for all cars and there are particularly compatibility issues between the first stage (baby) car seats. With newborn car seats costing upwards of £200 it can be a costly mistake if it doesn’t fit in the car properly. Issues can be due to many reasons including how the Isofix attaches or the length of the seatbelt. Most infant car seat manufacturer's websites will have compatibility information you can check.

If you are hoping to have 3 car seats across the backseat you will need to ensure you buy a car with 3 full size seats in the back as many modern cars only have 2 full size spaces and a reduced space in the middle. You also need to choose the car seat combination carefully to ensure they fit. It might be necessary to visit a shop in person to try different combinations of children’s car seats once you have bought your car to find out the best and safest fit.

Car Condition

The condition and maintenance of the car is really important to ensure the safety of yourself and all the passengers. Assuming you have checked the vehicle history and the car over generally before purchase it is important to remember basic checks so your car stays safe. Regularly check the condition of your tyres, the effectiveness of windscreen wipers and breaks as well as topping up the oil and water. Make sure you remember the car’s MOT and service too. 

Safest Make And Model Of Cars

The safety of cars is constantly improving and modern cars have an impressive range of basic safety features as well as additional safety equipment some manufacturers offer as a paid add on. The safest cars on the market today may have been overtaken by newer designs in 6 months time. 

If you are buying a used car it’s important to identify what has been installed on the vehicle you are considering by asking the seller or dealership. You can check the safety ratings of cars online, but make sure you consider the right year of manufacturing as a 2022 model may have had significant improvements to the same car manufactured 4 years ago. Euro NCAP give cars they have tested a safety score of up to 5 stars, but it is also worth looking at the detail as they also provide safety ratings for adult occupants, child occupants, road users and safety assist (the technology which helps improves your safety). Which? is another good source for impartial advice on cars.

In reality it’s unlikely you are going to choose a family car purely based on the safety rating because your priorities are also going to include: cost, availability, size of car, fuel economy and personal preferences around appearance and performance. If you have a shortlist of a few cars though make sure you have checked the vehicle history and model safety ratings so you can use this important information as the deciding factor before you buy.