Whenever we get into car, there is always a risk of accidents occurring. One of the organizations founded to assess a car’s safety is the European New Car Assessment Programme (or Euro NCAP) which is backed by several governments and the European Union. The Euro NCAP assesses cars on 4 categories which are adult protection, child protection, pedestrian protection, and safety assist technologies. Each category assesses specific areas such as frontal impact, side impact, and whiplash tests for adult protection and tests for potential risk of injuries to different parts of a pedestrian’s body to name a few. Thus, without further ado, here are the top 3 cars that the Euro NCAP found to be safest in the world in each of these four categories as of January 2018. Disclaimer: The author was in no way compensated or sponsored by any brands featured in the article.

#3: Volvo V90

Volvo has traditionally been associated with safety and it’s shown in these tests. Both the V90 estate car and the S90 saloon version were at the top of the charts in all 4 categories listed by the Euro NCAP. Scoring 95% for adult protection, 80% for child protection, 76% for pedestrian protection, and 93% for safety technology, the V90 and S90 feature a full range of safety systems including but not limited to lane-keeping assistance and an automatic braking system.

#2: Volkswagen Arteon

The latest hatchback produced by VW to replace the CC, the Arteon is a top of the line car which features a host of safety systems. In Euro NCAP’s test, if scored an impressive 96% on adult protection, 87% on child protection, 85% on pedestrian protection, and 82% on safety technology. Part of the Arteon pedestrian protection system is a pedestrian monitor that alerts the driver to any potential collisions and at 85%, the Arteon’s pedestrian protection systems are the highest, beating even the number one car.

#1: Volvo XC60

Volvo’s commitment to safety can be seen by their cars taking two spots on this list. This impressive 2017 sports utility vehicle takes the number 1 spot with a whopping 98% for adult protection, 87% for child protection, 76% for pedestrian protection, and 95% for safety technology. Well-placed airbags accounted for much of the occupants’ safety while the body of the SUV absorbed much of the impact. This car even features special seatbelts that reduce a passenger’s chance of whiplash. The XC60’s scores for adult protection and child protection were the highest scores in 2017. This car also features a multitude of safety tech including steering assistance and an optional semi-autonomous driving system.