GUIDES
Guides and data studies
How US car-safety data works, and what our analysis of it shows.
Safety guides
GUIDEHow cars are rated for safetyA plain-language guide to how US car-safety ratings work: NHTSA 5-star crash tests, recalls, and complaints, and what each does and does not measure.ReadGUIDEHow to check a car's recallsHow to check whether a car has an open NHTSA safety recall using its VIN, and what to do if it does.ReadGUIDEPark-outside and do-not-drive recallsWhat park-outside and do-not-drive recalls mean, why they are the most urgent safety campaigns, and what to do if your car is affected.ReadGUIDEHow to read complaint dataHow to read NHTSA owner-complaint data: why complaints are unverified allegations, and how to weigh volume against severity.Read
Data studies
DATA STUDYCars with the most park-outside recallsA MotorCaliber data study ranking the US vehicles that carry the most park-outside and do-not-drive recalls on the NHTSA record.ReadDATA STUDYCar brands ranked by average safety scoreA MotorCaliber data study ranking car brands by the average NHTSA Safety Index across their crash-tested lineups.ReadDATA STUDYThe most-recalled model yearsA MotorCaliber data study of the model years with the most NHTSA safety recalls on record in our catalog.Read