Used Car Safety Ratings

Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR) are given to a vehicle which can protect not only its driver from fatal or serious injuries but also other road users.

If you are wondering whether used cars are safe or not, then find out how each car performs in the Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR). Car safety ratings for used cars are indicators that the car has passed its crashworthiness. The ratings show that the vehicle can protect its driver from fatal or serious injuries. Not only does it protect the driver from crash, but also the road users such as the pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists as well as the drivers of other cars on the road. In a research study in Monash University, it has been found that large SUVs are involved in road crashes than many other car models.

Car ratings use the 5-star for excellence, 4-star for good, 3-star for marginal, 2-star for poor, and 1-star for very poor. When choosing a used car, choose vehicles that can protect the car driver or owner (crashworthiness) but also protection to the pedestrians or road users (aggresivity). This car usually has a “Safe Pick” rating.

The score of each model is compared against the safety ratings of other vehicles. It includes the driver protection ratings which refer to the risk of driver’s death or serious injury in case of a crash. The total ratings, though is not about the risk in the crash but also other factors such as driver’s demeanor, the condition of the vehicle and the road environment. But of course, the best protection for the driver and the pedestrian still depends on how safely the car is driven.

The Used Car Safety Ratings of 2012 classified five small car models as “Safe Pick” and with 5-star ratings. They are Honda Civic, Peugeot 307, Volkswagen Golt/Bora, Volkswagen Golt/Jetta and Volvo S40/V40. Light cars like Mazda 2 got a 5-star rating, too. Large cars like Ford Falcon FG, Mercedez benz E-class W210, Mitsubishi 380 and Toyota Aurion garnered the Safe Pick and 5-star ratings. 

Commercial vehicles and compact, medium and large four-wheel vehicles have their specific safety car ratings, too.

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