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When it's time to go car shopping, we all have our list of must-haves. Some buyers like cargo room, while others want best-in-class fuel economy. One top priority for most people is safety. Whether your family's new car is big, compact, or sporty, it's important to make sure it's loaded with safety features. Here are four used hatchbacks that provide superior safety features for families on the go. 2017 Chevrolet Spark The Chevrolet Spark's 2017 model earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) highest rating of Good on the only two exams conducted: moderate overlap front and side crash tests. This organization also gave this model Spark's LATCH child-seat system their second-highest rating. more For 2017, a rearview camera comes standard on the Spark, and it offers great maneuverability to help keep you on the road. With plenty of available technology, this small Chevy delivers the connectivity you want to stay in touch with family. It's reliable and earned a stellar predicted reliability rating 3.5 out of five from J.D. Power. 2017 Hyundai Accent The 2017 Accent is an appealing choice for those who want a safe, no-frills daily driver with a low average price. It's just as reliable as the Spark, earning 3.5 out of five from J.D. Power, and boasts 47.5 cubic feet of cargo room. IIHS rated this model year's Accent Good in the top three categories: moderate overlap front trial, rear crash protection, and roof strength test results. They also reported that LATCH tether anchors for the Accent's child safety seats were in an easy-to-find location. 2017 Kia Soul The 2017 Soul ranks among the best in this competitive hatchback class. The IIHS gave it their highest rating of Good in all categories, except the passenger-side small overlap front test, which resulted in the second-highest grade. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded this hatchback a perfect five-star score for overall, front, and side-impact tests. The 2017 Soul's rollover crash test resulted in an impressive four-star performance. The Soul is available with a slew of standard safety equipment, including a rearview camera, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning. You'll also get blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts, and available parking sensors. 2014 Chevrolet Sonic Agile handling and a roomy interior help make the 2014 Chevrolet Sonic one of the top used subcompacts on the market. It also touts some of the best safety scores in its class. Chevy gave the Sonic a nice package of active safety features for the 2014 model year, like the available rearview camera, forward collision warning, and lane departure alerts. It also features some of the highest safety scores in our rankings. The NHTSA gave the 2014 Sonic a perfect score of five in all but one test: the four-star rollover evaluation. The IIHS awarded the 2014 Sonic its top rating of Good in all trials, except the small overlap front crash test. Active safety features help drivers make quick stops while maintaining control. With these four used hatchbacks, get superior safety features for your family. Photo by M 93: „Dein Nordrhein-Westfalen“ | Licensed under cc BY 2.0

The approaching holiday season means road trips, which often lead to meltdowns for your kids on the road. These are unpleasant and also distracting for drivers and can turn an anticipated relaxing retreat into a stressful ordeal. Be prepared for the inevitable with these four ways to deal with meltdowns in the car this holiday season. Leave on Time and Be Prepared A sure way to reduce stress on the road is to leave on time and be prepared. If you're chasing the clock the entire time during the drive, your anxiety will naturally increase. Your passengers will be feeling some stress due to the time crunch, as well. This not only increases the likelihood of a meltdown or argument but will also make it much harder to take a breath and deal with the situation. more You can mitigate this issue by leaving on time and giving yourself enough space in your schedule for delays. This way, if you're slow getting out the door, you'll be spending the time you budgeted just for that purpose. You'll also give yourself enough time to make your car a more convenient and entertaining space for traveling, which can minimize meltdowns and make them easier to manage. Organize Your Vehicle Just like being in a time crunch, traveling in a cluttered, unorganized space will amplify the stress of being in a vehicle for a long time. Clean your car before leaving, and add some organizers to help keep it that way on the road. A garbage bag hanger that goes behind the front passenger's seat, for example, can keep the vehicle neat and make traveling and dealing with meltdowns much easier. Schedule Stops to Manage Meltdown-Triggering Issues If you understand what causes meltdowns on the road, you can better manage them. Your kids may just get bored or perhaps they're feeling motion sick or cramped. Set aside some time in your schedule to check for these specific issues. For example, instead of eating lunch while you drive, plan for a picnic at a rest stop along the way. This way, everyone can stretch their legs and get some much-needed sunlight. Picnicking rather than stopping for fast food so you can keep driving also gives you more control over everyone's diet. It may seem more convenient to stop for a minute at a drive-thru and get back on the road, but greasy foods will leave everyone feeling lethargic and cranky as time goes on. Add Some Overnight Stops Another tip is to break your trip into manageable portions, if possible. If your destination is more than eight hours away, turning the journey into a multi-day drive with hotel stops can help everyone get restful sleep and help you reorganize. This can also give you more flexibility in your schedule since you won't have to travel so far in a single day. Road trips are stressful if you don't plan ahead. If you're traveling with kids, prepare for the inevitable by leaving on time, being prepared and organizing, and scheduling plenty of stops to keep everyone as comfortable as possible. Photo by trevoronim | Licensed under cc BY 2.0