Tiny Fiat 500 earns big points for safety: IIHS

The Fiat 500, the latest minicar model to grace Canadian roads, may be tiny in size but it has earned big points from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).The 2012 model year has earned the institute’s top safety award for good performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations and for having electronic stability control as standard equipment.The award applies to 500s built after July 2011 because the driver’s seat structure was modified to improve occupant protection in both frontal and rear-end crashes.To date, the 500 and the Ford Fiesta are the only minicars to earn the top safety pick designation.