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No automobile is 100 percent safe or collision-proof. An experienced and unimpaired driver is the most important safety features in any car. Never drive when you are:

Keep your car in safe operating condition. Carefully read the owner's manual that comes with your car and follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule. Visually inspect tires, lights and fluid levels at each refueling. Make sure your spare tire is inflated and pack a first-aid kit and flares in your trunk.

Make sure every person in your vehicle buckles up. Correct and consistent use of safety belts is the best safety measure you can adopt.

Manufacturers provide buyers the most complete information about standard or optional safety equipment on their vehicles. Listed below are features that are especially important.

Air Bags. Air Bags instantly inflate in frontal crashes at speeds as low as 15 mph.  Many vehicles are already equipped with this important feature.

Front air bags do not eliminate the need for safety belts and they offer no protection in rollovers, rear or side impacts. Safety belts help keep you in place should a collision occur.

Caution: Never use a rear-facing child safety seat in a front seat equipped with a passenger-side air bag. As the air bag opens, it may exert too much force on the safety seat and injure the child.

Anti-lock Brakes. Anti-lock brake systems prevent a vehicle's wheels from locking up during "panic" braking by automatically pumping brakes several times per second. This allows the driver to retain steering control as the vehicle slows a key factor in avoiding a collision.

Even with ABS, hydroplaning and skidding can be caused by excessive speed or extreme steering maneuvers. Be sure to read your owner's manual for more information about ABS.

Safety Belt Systems. Safety belt systems are your best protection in a crash. They prevent you from colliding with the dash or windshield and hold you inside the vehicle.

Whether manual or automatic, safety belts are most effective if adjusted properly. All safety belts should be pulled tightly across the pelvis. Some systems also offer adjustable anchors that change the height of the shoulder strap to improve belt fit. Check the manufacturer's instructions to properly adjust safety belts in your car.

Side-Impact Protection. Side-impact crashes are the second leading cause of death and injury to passenger car occupants. At least 25 percent of 1995 passenger cars must be equipped to protect the front and rear occupants during a simulated 30 mph side-impact crash. The government requires all 1997 passenger cars have this protection. Many new models provide this protection ahead of the required schedule.

Manufacturers can choose from a number of features to fulfill this requirement - including extra structure, energy-absorbing foam, door panel or seat mounted air bags - as long as the vehicle passes occupant protection requirements.

Contact NHTSA at (800) 424-9393 for specific information on vehicle theft ratings and current guidelines.

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