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Safety

All car manufacturers are now required by law to design and engineer cars that will meet a minimum safety standard. According to a Swedish Folksam survey these basic safety measures have meant that the risk of serious injury and death has declined by more than 20% over the last ten years. This is mainly due to airbags, stronger 'safety cages' around the cabin, seatbelt pre-tensioners which restrain occupants better and improved shock-absorbing capacity at the front end of cars. That said there are many features that you should consider when buying a car for your family.

• Statistics also show that larger, heavier vehicles are safer than smaller, lighter ones. Twice as many occupants of small cars die in car accidents each year as occupants of large cars.
• Check for lateral air bags that protect passengers in the rear from side impact.

If you are buying a second hand car do careful checks for rust and corrosion which can seriously affect the car's structural integrity. Get a vehicle check done to check for chassis damage if the car has been in an accident.

It is illegal to use a rear facing infant carrier in a passenger seat equipped with an active airbag. If you want to use a rear-facing baby seat in the front, make sure you get a car without a passenger airbag or one where you can switch off the airbag.

The Euro New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) www.euroncap.com (new window) is the world's leading safety testing association and most new cars will have a rating you can use to assess its safety rating.

Practicality

So you have a baby on the way and you need to figure out which car would suit you and your family. You can forget about a sports car! A practical family car needs to have at least four seats and a huge boot for the buggy and other baby gear.

A comfortable, occupied child is a happy child, which means you'll need to carry a lot of toys and games. A generous supply of storage bins and cubby-holes can help you keep the car tidy.

Air-conditioning can be a real bonus if you want to keep kids (and you) cool on long, hot journeys.

If you have a sizable family you will need to use the middle seat in the back. Choose a car that has a full lap and diagonal belt in the centre seat which gives better protection than a simple lap belt and is better to secure a car seat.

Choose five doors over three - it just makes life so much easier when you have five doors.

Make sure your car insurance covers damage to children's car seats.