How do I check a car's safety rating?

Use the two main US sources. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov) gives 5-Star Safety Ratings from its crash tests, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (iihs.org) rates crashworthiness, crash prevention and headlights, naming Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ winners. Ratings apply to specific model years and sometimes specific trims or build dates, so match them to the exact vehicle you are considering.