The safest used cars for teens and families according to experts

For teenagers starting to drive regularly – and for adult drivers with children – safety is paramount when choosing a vehicle. Knowing which cars are least likely to injure their occupants in a collision is therefore a key step in the car buying process, whether you’re budgeting for a new or used vehicle.

These days, some cars even have smart tech systems that can help drivers avoid collisions altogether, but these advanced detection and avoidance features can add thousands to a vehicle’s price, and most Americans can’t afford to buy new in no case.

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For those who can afford a new car, choosing one of the safest new cars of 2024, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, is a great idea. But for everyone else, what are the safest used cars on the market under $20,000? But under $10,000?

Here’s what the experts have to say:

Related: 10 Most Trusted Car Brands in 2024 According to Experts

Safest Used Cars Between $10,000 and $20,000 According to Consumer Reports and IIHS

Consumer Reports is a nearly century-old non-profit organization that tests vehicles at its driving courses and labs in Connecticut and New York and surveys its members about their own vehicles. It is one of the most trusted voices in automotive safety and reliability.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, founded in 1959, is a somewhat younger nonprofit, but it’s also one of the most respected crash test firms.

The vehicles below have been jointly selected by these organizations for a combination of safety and affordability, making them perfect for teenage drivers and working families.

2017 Toyota Corollas can be found for around $10,600.

Anadolu/Getty Images

Small cars

2018 Toyota Camrys can be found starting around $9,600.

Kevauto, CC-BY-SA-4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Medium-large cars and minivans

A 2020 Chevy Equinox can start at around $13,800.

SOPA Images/Getty Images

Small SUVs

A 2017 Vovlo XC60 typically starts around $12,100.

Gerlach Delissen – Corbis/Getty Images

Mid-size SUVs

More automotive content:

• Best new cars and SUVs under $30,000 according to Consumer Reports
• Most durable car models (200k+ miles) according to Consumer Reports
• The least expensive car brands to repair and maintain according to Consumer Reports

The safest used cars under $10,000 according to Car & Driver

Car and Driver, while not a nonprofit organization like CR or IIHS, has been around since 1955 and is generally well-regarded in the automotive community and has received a “high credibility” rating and a high “factual reporting” score from Media Bias/ Fact Checking (MBFC).

These are the 13 safest used cars under $10,000 that Car and Driver recommends for teens and other drivers for whom safety and affordability are top concerns.

Older Ford Taurus models often sell for well under $10,000.

jpowers65, CC BY-ND 2.0 via Flickr

Related: Used Cars to Avoid Buying According to Consumer Reports

Why are car safety features and crash test results so important?

Nowadays, most of us take driving for granted, despite the fact that it is probably one of the riskiest things we do every day.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, car accidents are the “second leading cause of death from accidental injuries in the United States.” Additionally, DHHS reports that we in the US experience car crash deaths at about twice the average rate of other high-income counties.

According to the National Safety Council, you are more likely to die in a car accident than from a fire, drowning, suffocation or heat stroke:

Cars are, in a sense, fast-moving, 4,000-pound (on average) steel casings to which we entrust our safety on a daily basis. And regardless of your own driving ability, reaction time and safety awareness, there is no way to control or predict the behavior of the countless other drivers with whom we share the roads.

None of this changes the fact that most Americans must drive at least semi-regularly (94.5% of driving-age Americans drove at least once in 2022), but it does highlight the importance of considering safety when when choosing a vehicle – the right one. safety features and crash responses can mean the difference between minor and serious injury or serious injury and death.