Small cars are great fun. Almost as much fun as a scooter. They are easy to maneuver in crowded cities.When you plan to buy a car for household purposes, you first think about a car which has recently been introduced into the market.

Most of you will consider the condition of roads in your city before buying a car, specially when you reside in a crowded city like Mumbai. You should pay attention to technical specifications while looking for a new car. A wide range of tests are performed at different vehicle centres throughout the world, in order to help us find cars that are safe to drive.

According to the latest crash test results carried out by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), smaller cars are safer than larger cars. During tests, a remarkable number of small cars worldwide emerged with four stars out of a possible five. The tests include - Frontal offset crash test, Low-speed (bumper) crash tests, Head restraint tests, Side impact tests.

Small car dealers in Mumbai aso agree that small cars are among the safest. Ranaji, the owner of of Popular Car Bazaar said, "When our clients look for a safe car, we advise them to go for the small car range." K Yhadav, owner of Royal Motors, uses an Indica. Yhadav says, "For personal use, I prefer small cars. Indica has given me the best service for the last one year. I always tell my friends and relatives to opt for a small car. Considering safety measures and parking problems, I think a small car is the best choice." He added that "Car tests have enhanced the public's faith in small cars."

Ratings depend on how well the structure/safety cage protects the occupant compartment, the risk of injury measured for an average-size male, and how well the restraint system controls occupant movement. Rankings of vehicles with similar overall crash test ratings are based on how well head restraints and bumpers are designed to prevent neck injuries in rear-end crashes and property damage in low-speed crashes.

By : Sharmistha Chakraborty