A leader in car safety research

Since the 1920s, State Farm® has championed safer driving through research, education, and collaborations that improve vehicle design and encourage safer habits.

Why does this matter? Car safety research reveals what helps reduce crashes and help protect occupants. From trusted safety ratings to advanced driver-assistance tech, these insights help shoppers choose safer cars and promote safer roads.

Understanding vehicle safety ratings

In the U.S., two main programs guide car safety comparisons:

  • NHTSA: Provides 5-star safety ratings based on frontal, side, and rollover crash tests.
  • IIHS: Evaluates crashworthiness, roof strength, head restraints, crash prevention tech, and headlights; awards Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ to top performers.
  • State Farm vehicle safety ratings: Leverages claims and safety data to aid in determining car insurance premiums.

Current car safety technologies

Safety features fall into two categories:

  • Passive safety: Multi-stage airbags, enhanced seat belts, reinforced cabins, and pedestrian-friendly front-end designs.
  • Active safety (ADAS): AEB, pedestrian/cyclist detection, lane keeping, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and driver monitoring.

Artificial intelligence improves detection and lane tracking, while some vehicles receive over-the-air updates. Emerging tech includes intersection AEB, advanced lane centering, vehicle-to-everything alerts, and enhanced night lighting.

Key safety research insights

Speeding, impairment, and distraction contribute to many serious crashes, often rear-end collisions, intersection conflicts, run-off-road events, and side impacts.

  • AEB reduces rear-end crashes
  • Lane keeping lowers drift-off-road risks
  • Road and vehicle conditions matter­­—wet/icy roads, poor lighting, and worn tires increase risk
  • Buckle up
  • Avoid distractions and impairment
  • Maintain your vehicle for safer trips

For child passenger safety:

  • Use rear-facing seats as long as possible
  • Transition to forward-facing with harness after outgrowing rear-facing
  • Use booster seats until seat belts fit properly
  • Always install seats correctly and place children in the back seat

State Farm Research & Impact

The State Farm Vehicle Research Facility studies crash performance, emerging safety tech, defects, and theft trends to inform safer vehicle designs. Notable contributions include:

  • Supporting airbags as a standard safety feature.
  • Leading large-scale child injury studies and community car seat programs.
  • Backing teen driver safety initiatives like Graduated Driver Licensing and Steer Clear.
  • By analyzing crash data and driver behavior, State Farm helps develop safer driving programs and collaborates with IIHS to influence safety ratings and education.

Addressing new challenges

With growing automated features and ongoing distraction risks, State Farm promotes education through programs like the Engaged Driving Initiative. Your local State Farm agent is available to assist with safety guidance and insurance needs.

Frequently asked questions about auto safety

Check NHTSA stars and IIHS awards for your car choices. Confirm standard AEB with pedestrian detection and good headlight ratings. Review the vehicle safety ratings by State Farm.

Yes. Features like AEB, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping help reduce certain crashes but don't replace attentive driving. Understand alerts and keep sensors clean.


Buckle up, use the correct child seat, obey speed limits, avoid impairment and distractions, maintain tires and brakes, update vehicle software, and adjust safety settings to your driving conditions.

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