The last time you were shopping for a vehicle, what factors were the most important to you? We’re sure the monthly payment was a big factor, along with how it does on gas, the color and how comfortable it is. 

The last time we were shopping for a new vehicle was about a week after the 2019 McCall Winter Carnival. During the weekend we were there, the forecast called for mostly rain but the temperatures dropped low enough that A LOT of snow piled up. The Mazda 3 we were driving at the time didn’t handle that so well. We’re scarred by our car sliding backward trying to get out of the parking garage under the lodge at Tamarack and by our husband getting it stuck in the unplowed Napa Auto Parts parking lot in Downtown McCall. 

READ MORE:  The Deadliest Time to Drive in Boise and 10 Other Idaho Cities 

After having to flag down someone to help pull the car out of that parking lot and onto the main road in McCall on the busiest weekend of the year, we decided that car had to go. We ended up trading it in for a Subaru Crosstrek. Subaru’s got a great safety reputation and according to Statista, safety is the second most important factor to most Americans while shopping for a new ride. 

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So which vehicle brands have the best and worst safety reputations in Idaho? The Glass Doctor took a deep dive into National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s fatal crash data to determine the safest and least safe brands in each state. 

Before we get to Idaho, here’s a look at the top brand in each category in the United States. 

The Safest Car Brand in the United States Is…

2017 New York International Auto Show
Drew Angerer, Getty Images
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Subaru ranked as the safest brand in 17 different states. 

The Least Safe Car Brand in the United States Is…

Spike TV Presents Auto Rox: The Automotive Award Show
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Dodge was ranked the #1 least safe brand in 64% of states. 

These Are the Safest and Most Unsafe Car Brands in Idaho

While Idaho’s not routinely hit with things like Nor ‘Easters or lake effect snow, road conditions in our area can become dangerous quickly when winter weather strikes. That’s a lesson we learned the hard way during Snowpocalypse a few years ago. So which vehicles are most likely to keep you safe in Idaho and which ones should you think twice about? Here’s how things shook out. 

Idaho’s Top 3 Safest Car Brands

  1. Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes To Offer Non-Leather Seats In Its Vehicles
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  1. Lexus
Geneva Motor Show 2016
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  1. Audi
FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Silverstone - Previews
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Idaho’s Top 3 Least Safe Car Brands

  1. Chrysler
Chrysler To File For Bankruptcy
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  1. GMC
GM Posts Massive Loss, Cuts Health Benefits
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  1. Dodge
BEL: Cars On Display At The International Show
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KEEP READING: The Most Dangerous Time to Drive in Idaho's 11 Major Cities

According to Idaho Transportation Department data, these are the months, days of the week and times that its most dangerous to drive in Idaho's 11 biggest cities. Cities are ranked by population, not the number of fatalities.

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

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